These Things I'm sure of
by Ms.M
Summary: REPOST: Ensemble story CJ's missing and the White House is a mess. Who will find CJ? This is our take on a adventure / thriller novel.
1. Chapter One

Title: Theses things I'm sure of...

Paring: CJ/Danny and the whole west wing gang (Even Sam!)

Disclaimer:

Story conceived by Ms.M and Sdsublondie9

Written by Ms. M

With special material Contributed by Sdsublondie9

Notes: Although some of us have been disappointed with the recent events on West Wing, MsM and Sdsublonie9 ask that you give this story a chance. We wrote it together and we have put a lot of hard work and long nights into it. Thank you for reading and please enjoy! This idea came from the discussion of an episode of Sports Night where Jeremy, in love with Natalie, can not sleep when she was being threatened What would make Danny not sleep?

Summery: One man's journey for love!

Repost—First Posted Winter 2004

West Coast East Coast Entertainment Presents:  
**A Figurative Cat Production**  
_In Association with REEL Banter Limited_  
And brought to you by The Sorkin Fund and readers like you!

TUESDAY 3:56

"Henry! Henry!" The reporters yelled looking like they would be swallowed whole by the lights of the television Cameras. The room had not been that full of people since Zoey Bartlet had disappeared. Danny noticed how the lights made the room look foggy as if it was misting over, almost like a war zone, or perhaps that was just what he saw.

"Gail." Henry, The Deputy Press Secretary, called on a reporter being extremely under experienced at the job.

"Have the authorities ruled out foul play?"

"Nothing has been determined yet?" He pointed to a woman in the front row. "Chris"

"Does the FBI think terrorism is involved or domestic sources? Has anyone been contacted?"

"Nothing has been determined yet and no The FBI or the White House have not been contacted yet. Right now they are focusing on a safe return."

"Henry!" Danny again shot is hand up.

"Danny." Henry called on the disheveled Danny. His eyes where set into the bags under his lids making them look ominous and angry. Danny looked tired, upset, and determined.

"It's been forty hours since the disappearance. Why is it we are still getting the same answers as yesterday?"

"I'm sorry Danny, are you asking what's being done?"

"Yes I think I'm being pretty clear here. WHAT IS BEING DONE!"" Danny had never been so aggressive in the press room.

"Things are still being taken into consideration—"

"Terrorism vs domestic, meaning anyone who just took her vs a foreign Government. Your telling me no ones looking at the fact that she has been stalked before."

"Danny!"

"I want to know why it is forty hours later and nothing is getting done." Henry looked over at Toby who ran his hand under his neck to signal cut it. "No don't pull this crap. I'm not finished here. Hey, come on!"

"All we can do is being done and we will update you as soon as we know anything. Thank you."

Danny shot up from his seat and pushed passed the other reporters to get to the exit.

Henry walked off followed by Toby and Leo. Josh saw Danny storming toward the door and he made sure to stay behind and intersect his friend.

"He didn't answer my question. What is this?" Danny tried to shove his way past Josh, but Josh wouldn't let him.

"Danny you look terrible. Go get some sleep?"

"No. I can't sleep Josh. I can't ...! What's going on Josh? What the hell kind of investigation is this? She's missing Josh! CJ 's gone!

"We're all worried Danny?"

"Not for nothin' Josh, but worry...ain't do nothin'."

Josh looked around and ushered his friend back. "Come, on. Come to my office".

Will caught Toby walking back form the briefing, a stack of papers under Toby's arm, Toby handed them to a girl who took them away for him.

"How are you doing?" Will asked as the two men walked back to Toby's office.

"I'm sorry?

"How ya holding up?"

"What?"

"I'm inquiring in a brotherly way as to the nature of your well-being."

"Well, don't."

"If you need to talk—."

"I don't need to talk—."

"Toby, I'm just saying—."

"Don't say anything-nothing is to be said."

"I'm just sayin'—."

"And yet you're sayin'—."

"I've known CJ for a little over a year and I'm upset. You've known her a lot longer than anyone else here."

"Yeah"

"So...?"

"I have these things—I have work to do."

Will watched Toby say something to his assistant Rina and walk into his brought Danny into his office. Danny sunk down into Josh's chair and held his head in his hands.

"Donna, get Danny a cup of coffee." Josh yelled behind him as he stood in his doorway.

"Okay." Was heard from looked at Danny as he entered his office. "And a sleeping pill."

"I'm fine."

"Man, you look terrible."

"Here." Donna ran into the office and presented Danny with the coffee.

"Take the coffee Danny." Josh told him. Danny shook his head and let out a groan of air.

"I'll take it." Josh took the coffee and Donna and Josh shared looks. 'Leave us alone, will ya?"

"Yeah." Donna took one more look at them before she left and closed the door.

"You have to get it together. You can't do what you just did in that pressroom. They're gonna kick you out."

"I know—"

"And then you won't know anything—"

"You have to go home and get some sleep-"

"I can't. I just walk around my apartment, or here. I can't sleep. I just write—."

"That was an amazing piece you wrote yesterday—"

"What are they doing Josh, what do they know?"

"They don't know. She just disappeared. Her door was open and nothing. No forced entrance. Nothing—"

"She didn't just walk away Josh—"

"I know that, _you_ know that. They don't know that. There's no note. No evidence. Nothing. She's just gone-"

"That doesn't freak you out!"

"Yes, Yes it freaks me out. My friend just disappeared off the face of the earth, a friend of mine who just happens to be the second most visible person in this place, after the President, but if I make myself crazy I can't help. I can't do anything. You got to get yourself together Danny."

"It's been forty hours, five minutes and fifteen seconds since she was last seen, who knows how long before that she was taken. And she was taken Josh. We all know that. This is CJ were talkin' about here."

"I know."

"I have to go find her."

"Danny you can't"

"What do you know Josh? Tell me what you know!"

"I don't know anything!"

"There are only two things I'm sure of in this world and that's five column inches above the fold and CJ Cregg. I can't live in a world with out those two things!"

There was a knock at the door.

"Wait here." Josh put his hands out and they exchanged eyes.

Josh walked to the door and walked out closing the door tightly behind him.

"Yeah." Josh spoke to Donna.

"Leo wants you in senior staff."

"Where having senior staff?"

"Yeah"

"Ok. Tell him I'll be right there." Josh walked back into the office. "Danny, I—"Josh looked around and no Danny. Josh noticed the door that linked CJ's office to his was open. He walked in and found Danny standing in the middle of the room. Josh just looked at Danny as he saw his friend crumbling in front of his eyes. Danny held it in, but he was crazed with his mission, tired and drained. Danny was staring at CJ's fish.

"Danny, come on—"

"Someone has to feed her fish."

"I'll feed it."

"You don't feed a fish and it dies. One day, you neglect to-and that's it. The fish can't survive. The store said the fish would last for only a few months—"

"And look at it. CJ kept it alive for five years."

"With in two hours after Zoey Bartlet's kidnapping they had her in a five by six hole in the ground." He paused. "I should know I filed the story."

"They'll find her."

"Can I quote you on that?" He looked at Josh.

Danny's phone rang.

'Yeah." He paused to listen.

"Danny—"

"Shh—"Danny put his hand out to quite Josh.

"Yeah, Maisy. I'm still here." Danny took his notebook out of his pocket and leaned it on CJ's desk.

"Yeah. Okay." He wrote a few notes down. Josh tried to see what he was doing. "Thanks." Danny closed his phone. "I got to go."

"Danny what was that? Was that about CJ?"

"I have a lead." Danny walked through Josh's office.

"I'm coming with you!" Josh grabbed his coat and followed Danny out of his office.

"Josh, Senior Staff." Donna watched Danny and Josh speed past her. Danny was so determined it was hard for Josh to keep up. "Josh!" She yelled as she realized he was leaving.

"I'll be right back." Josh yelled putting his coat on as he ran. Donna gave Josh a look. "Tell him its important. I'll tell him when I get back."Danny pulled up to the seedy bar where he usually talked to sources.

"This is the place? This is your source?" Josh asked.

"If you complain your not—"

"Ok, ok." Josh paused. "And why are we here?"

"Maisy got a hold of the police report—"

"Yeah, her CD player was taken."

"You knew."

I couldn't say. It's strange they'd just take a CD player."

"I agree. My guess is someone else took it."

"And this guy could have seen something?"

"Yeah." Danny got out of the car and Josh followed.

"So who's the good cop—"

"Josh, not this again. We're not playing that."

"But, were partners, someone has to be the bad cop." Danny gave him a look. "Ok, fine you can be the bad cop.

Danny walked into the bar and made his way to the back booth. Josh followed as he noticed Danny wasn't standing in the parking lot anymore.

"Concannon. Nice to see ya?" Said the small man. "What you looking for now? A new scanner, perhaps a DVD player."

"No. I'm good. Thanks."

"Who's the new guy?"

"He's good, he's with me?"

"Looks familiar. Like I'd seen ya somewhere."

"I just have that kind a face." Josh smirked.

"What ya want Danny?"

"CD player. Georgetown. Upscale."

"Double player and record."

"Single."

"Let me confer with my friends." He fingered a guy over and he whispered to him.

"I think we have a match for ya Danny."

After a moment the same man brought a silver CD player over to the table.

"It looks familiar Danny." Josh said as he felt something in his stomach. Danny took his notebook out of packet and flipped the player over. Danny stood and slapped the notebook on the player comparing the serial numbers to the one's on his paper.

"Damn!" Danny slammed the notebook on the player. "Its not it!"

"Hey Dan. Don't hurt the merchandise. It's not what you want. I can find what you want."

"This is the only thing you got from Georgetown?"

"Sorry, Danny that's it."

"Come on Josh, let's go."

"Wait, Danny." The man stood and walked over to Danny. "I'm sure I can find something you need. You got a lady friend? I bet you do. You're a classy kind of guy. Arnold?" he called over a guy.

"Really, we're fine—"

"Here, I may not have Georgetown Compact disk player, but for you- jewelry. From the best houses. Show the man what you got. I'm sure there's something you're looking for."

"Really—"

"Just take a look."

The boy, the little man had called over, opened his palm to reveal a box which the boy opened and displayed what was inside: A gold fish pin. Josh and Danny's heart skipped a beat.

"That's—"But before Josh would even speak. Danny was on seventeen year old kid.

"Where did you get this?!" Danny said threw greeted teeth.

"I got it off some guy!" He yelled in a panic. Danny slammed him against the wall with his adrenaline-filled anger.

"Where is she?" Danny took the boy by the lapel of his Laker's jacket.

"Danny!" Josh yelled

"Hey!" The little man yelled.

"You bastard! What did you do to her? Where is she!? I'll kill you if you did anything to her."

"I swear to god. I just got it from some guy! That's all!"

Danny pulled all his force into the boy as he suddenly felt pulling and tugging from both directions. Josh grumbled. Danny could only see the boy as he tried to get the answer out.

"Call the cops." Yelled someone from the back."Well, if it isn't Starsky and Hutch!" Toby yelled as Josh and Danny sat down in font of him in the communications office, looking more battered than bruised.

"He's Starsky? Now what does that make me Hutch?" Josh didn't like that at all. "I'm Starsky?"

"Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! Shut up!"

"Hey, I technically out rank you. The only person who should be yelling at me at this moment is Leo!" Josh yelled back.

"Well, since Leo's busy right now and I'm the only one in this room that out ranks you because of your level's of stupidly—I can yell at you. You can't do this Josh!"

"Toby?" Danny tried to intercede.

"I'm not talking to you." Toby yelled at Danny. 'You can do what ever you want!" He looked at Josh. "Your not the Deputy Chief of Staff to the _President to the United States._ I don't care what you do!"

"As long as he's not exposing our secrets." Josh said under his breath.

"Just because you make jokes under your breath does not mean I don't hear you Josh!" Toby took a breath. "You're a government official Josh. You can't go around investigating this like you're on an episode of Hawaii five O!"

"Do your cop references extend to any television shows actually in this century?"

"Your being funny?" He paused. "CJ's missing and your making jokes!"

"That's all I know how to do. Tell me what to... just give me something to do and I'll do it!" Josh yelled. "Danny seems to be the only person around this place doing anything-Tell me something I haven't done—that I can do!"

"Ok, ok!" Danny finally spoke up. "I told him not to come and he came along anyway. If this is anyone's fault. It's mine. I'm going by myself this time. I won't give you guys any more trouble—"

"You're going back out there?" Josh asked him concerned.

"In my office." Toby said with a soft voice. The voice he saved for when he had something to say. Danny and Josh followed Toby, and his secret like tones into his office. It was dark as Josh closed the door behind them.

"How much would you need?" Toby said tapping his fingers on his desk before looking up at Danny. "Funding. Travel expenses. How much would you need?"

"Toby?" Josh wasn't sure what was going on.

Toby wrote something on a piece of paper and handed it to Danny. "This is my private account number. When you need money have it wired from this account."

"I need to know the information their holding back from the press."

"I'll get it for you—"

"And what those guys at the bar said—"

"They took a sketch of the men they bought the pin from."

"I'll need the sketches—"

"Yeah, yeah. I'll have Josh keep in touch with you. Give us a moment we'll bring it to you."

"Okay."

"Go back to the pressroom. I'll call you back after the briefing for a follow-up I'll have the sketches then." Toby looked down.

Danny walked toward the door.

"You call Josh if you find her." Toby's voice welled, but he held it in. "Don't do anything. You call Josh."

"I will." He paused. "Why are you doing this Toby?"

"'Cause you're right they're not doing enough."

Danny nodded his head in thanks and he was gone. Josh looked at Toby with udder devastation. He didn't know how much more loss either man could take.


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter Two

TUESDAY 8:21  
  
Jed sat stoic and solid as he listened to what the head of the FBI had to say. Leo did the same as they sat civilized over coffee and tea. It was nothing compared to the circus of Zoey, or the circus outside. Since no ransom note or word from CJ had been recovered, the FBI had to treat the case as what it was; the disappearance of a senior White House staffer. It wasn't a low-grade investigation, but not a high grade one either. No one seemed to know what to make of it yet. At least now they had pictures and names of two men sought for questioning.  
  
"What we do is send these pictures out to the Bureau—"Jed shook his head as did Leo.  
  
"I'm sorry, Mr. President." Debbie appeared at the door. "But Toby insisted on coming in."  
  
"No, Debbie that's all right. Send him in." Jed spoke and Toby entered.  
  
"Mr. President." Toby looked at the commissioner. "Mr. Commissioner. I heard you were having this meeting and I was hoping I could sit in on it."  
  
"I don't think that's such a good idea." Leo said to Toby with a stern look.  
  
"Don't worry, Toby, we'll update everyone after this." Jed looked at Toby.

"Yes, sir." Toby held back anger.  
  
"Toby? Is there something you want to say?" Jed asked.  
  
"With all due respect—"  
  
"Yesss" Jed leaned forward in his chair.  
  
"I don't see why we aren't—"  
  
"Toby—"Leo tried to intercede.  
  
"Doing more, sir---"Toby only spoke to Jed.  
  
"More, Toby—?" Jed asked.  
  
"More. Sending out the National Guard, the 82nd Airborne, I don't know---- Find her!"  
  
"We're doing all we can Mr. Zeigler— With all due respect, Mr. President--." The commissioner looked at the President. This caused Toby to be livid that he wasn't being talked to.  
  
"Well, with all due respect Mr. Commissioner, when I see you sitting in here politely drinking coffee I don't believe you're doing all you can."  
  
"Toby!" Leo stood. "I think you should leave now. I'll talk to you later."  
  
"Yeah." Toby lowered his head. He began to walk out, but took a step back. "I'm sorry. I was acting out. I---" He paused. "I'll leave now." He walked over to the Commissioner. "I am sorry, Mr. Commissioner."  
  
"I understand. We're all under a lot of stress—"  
  
"Yes, I see how we could both be under stress." He said dryly. Leo coughed.  
  
"Yeah. Well. I'm sorry—."  
  
"I'm sorry, did Toby just say he was sorry or did I doze off?" Jed looked around, but no one seemed to get his joke.  
  
"Yes, well---" he looked at the President and back at the Commissioner. "I am sorry. Very nice to meet you." Toby leaned his hand forward and -- no one saw how he really did it – even CJ couldn't have done it better -- Toby knocked the Commissioner's coffee all over his paperwork. Toby backed off as the Commissioner stood up, so did Leo and Jed in reaction.  
  
"I'm so sorry. Oh. That's a mess." Toby said pretending to be concerned.  
  
"Debbie!" Jed yelled causing her to enter the room. "Can we have some towels to clean this up?"  
  
"Oh, yes." Debbie saw the mess and walked out. Jed gave Toby a look, thinking he was up to something.  
  
"Cindi." The Commissioner told his assistant who had been taking notes. "Go make some fresh copies from your files."  
  
"Yes." She looked at Leo.  
  
"One of the secretaries will show you where it is." He told her, referring to the copy machine.  
  
"Yeah. I should get out of your way." Toby followed the girl out as Debbie entered with a clean towel.  
  
"You should clean that up."  
  
Debbie glared at Toby as he left.  
  
Outside the Oval Office, Toby walked away as he eyeballed Cindi talking to Nancy who was directing her to the copy machine. Toby put his hands in his pockets and caught site of Josh at the doorway. Charlie looked up to see Josh and Toby. Something was afoot between the three men. Toby took his finger and brought it to his nose. Josh looked at Toby not knowing what to do. He mouthed the word, "What" and raised his hand. The girl, Cindi, passed Josh, and Toby became more adamant, pointing his finger toward the girl, while covering his point from view. Josh looked at him the same away again. Toby gave up throwing up his hands.  
  
"I think he's signaling you?" Charlie told Josh walking along side him.  
  
"How do you know?"  
  
"'Cause that's from The Sting?"  
  
"The Sting?"  
  
"Yeah, Robert Redford. Paul Newman. Good flick. They touched the side of their noses to signal the other participants in their ploy."  
  
"I know the movie. I don't remember that part—"  
  
"Yes, and yet you know all the words to the Godfather---go figure?"  
  
"---And when did you get into this thing? Are you into this thing?"  
  
"Anything you're into I can't know you're into, and if asked if I'm involved in any_thing_ you're into, I will flatly deny it. But I'd go signal Donna before the plan is blown, Sundance."  
  
"Yeah?" Josh walked away perplexed.  
  
Toby and Charlie exchanged looks with each other.  
  
Josh walked out the doorway and took site of Donna standing against a cubical wall. He gave Donna the finger gesture, to his nose, and she looked at him with her bug eyes, as if Josh had lost a screw. Josh pointed to the girl at the copy machine and Donna gave a thumbs up.  
  
"Yeah, we're like the Marx brothers with out the humor." Toby groaned the words as he walked away past Josh.  
  
Donna took a few papers off a table as she passed and stood behind the woman, who was making quite a few copies since her boss's entire stack of information has been destroyed. The woman, Cindi, looked over at Donna and smiled. Donna smiled a huge smile back.  
  
"Just waiting to use the copy machine. That's all." Cindi smiled and went back to her work.  
  
"Hi!" Margaret said with great enthusiasm coming out of nowhere. "You from the bureau?"  
  
"Yes, I just have to make—"  
  
"I'm Margaret, Leo McGarry's assistant. And this is Donna; she's Josh Lyman assistant—." Cindi looked at Donna.  
  
"Hello." Donna smiled.  
  
"You work for the Chief of Staff and his Deputy?" Cindi said feeling very awkward as the pages flew into their trays.  
  
"Yes, that's us. If you need any help feel free to ask! Do you need help?" Margaret said in fast rat-a-tat-tat way.  
  
"No, I'm fine. Thank you." Cindi looked forward. Margaret gave Donna a face, and Donna, in turn gave the same back to her.  
  
"Oh, ok?" Margaret was fishing. "Wow, I love those earrings."  
  
"You do?" Cindi looked to Margaret in surprise.  
  
Donna took hold of one of the papers from the copy tray and placed it in her folder. She then inconspicuously turned her attention back on the conversation.  
  
"Really? I made them."  
  
"No. Really?" Margaret was in her element.  
  
Cindi took the pages and Donna smiled at her. Cindi again felt awkward. She began to copy her next pages. Each time Cindi changed the pages Margaret found a way to talk her ear off and Donna took a copy of the pages.  
  
"You know, I forgot the pages I was supposed to copy." Donna yelled out.  
  
"You know, me too." Margaret spoke. Donna's eyes widened at the fact Margaret wasn't so good at this part. "Why don't we—?" Donna spoke.  
  
"Yeah—" Margaret said in her dry tone.  
  
"Nice meeting you—" Donna tore off.  
  
"See ya." Margaret did the same.  
  
Donna walked down the hall, passing Will along the way, starting the game of pass the hot potato as they each passed the Roosevelt room. Donna walked past Will with her head lowered, the papers folded in her left hand. Will grazed past Donna taking the pages with one gesture. Almost like a slight of hand or card trick he was good at. Once he was past Donna far enough, Will took the folded pages and placed them in his breast pocket. He nodded as he passed someone he knew, making his way down another hallway and into the lobby, where he passed Charlie. Taking the papers out and playing the same slight of hand trick, soon Charlie had the papers stowed between two folders. Charlie walked down another hallway until he reached the threshold of Josh's bullpen, seeing Carol's lovely smile.  
  
"Hello, Carol." Charlie said sweetly as he made eye contact with her and with his other hand passed off the papers, low and away. Carol took the pass without pause.  
  
"Hello, Charlie." Carol smirked through her bloodshot eyes, taking the papers like she had been passed an Olympic relay baton. Carol walked for a while passing through the lobby. Like a tandem bike racer, Josh walked past her and the last hand off was made. Just in time to see Danny walk out of Toby's office, leaving Josh in the communications bullpen.  
  
"Danny, let me walk you out." Josh spoke as he passed the doorway.  
  
"Yeah." Danny spoke fatly.  
  
Danny walked Josh toward one of the main exits away from the pressroom and once they felt no one was around they stopped. Josh looked around to check if the coast was clear. At the same time Danny leaned forward. Josh took the folded pages from his breast pocket and handed them off to Danny. Danny looked around and placed the pages in his breast pocket. As this little exchange completed, Abbey Bartlet turned the corner and saw the two in secretive tones and posture. Abbey could tell from their body language what was going on. Josh walked off in the opposite direction not noticing that Mrs. Bartlet was there. Danny checked to be sure that the pages were secure as he walked toward the door.  
  
"Hello, Danny?" Mrs. Bartlet said coming out of the shadows. "Going so soon?"  
  
"Ma'am."  
  
"You look terrible, Daniel. Does anyone call you Daniel?"  
  
"My mother."  
  
"Well then, I'll continue calling you Danny. Have you slept?"  
  
"No."  
  
"No kidding." She walked closer to him.  
  
"Eaten?"  
  
"No. I had something I don't know around noon--"  
  
"Eastern or standard time." She looked him over. "You need to sleep, if you're going to find her? That is what you're going to do? That is where you're going?"  
  
"I have a few leads on the story--yes."  
  
"Oh, cut the crap Danny." Abbey leaned in. "I can't believe you work in the White House Press corps and no one has noticed your ode to the grieving husband-- That is beyond me! Everyone here knows you're in love with CJ and the state I see you in—in front of me just proves that." She patted his chest where the papers were. "Among other things." Abbey backed up and they looked at each other. "Are you going to admit it?"  
  
Danny took a swallow, "I really don't know what you're talkin' about Mrs. Bartlet?"  
  
"I'm asking if you love her Danny."

Danny looked around.  
  
"Don't worry, no one's watching us."

Danny sighed.

"You can give me that answer or you can tell me—" Abbey lowered her voice, "all about what Josh Lyman handed you---the paper you have safe and secure in your left breast pocket." Abbey stepped back and held her left hand over her right hand in front of her. Danny was tired, tired from lack of sleep, tired from keeping it all inside, too tired to lie. Abbey saw the look in Danny's eyes well up. She looked into his once sparkling blue eyes and now only saw gray.  
  
"Yes." Danny said raspy and breathlessly. Abbey took a breath feeling Danny's pain.  
  
"Does CJ know this?"  
  
"I'd like to think she does. But no."  
  
"And here I was-- thinking I could stop you from doing this? Eat something won't you." She held his face in her hands. Abbey walked away giving Danny her back. Danny took this as his chance to make an exit. He walked toward the door and was almost gone when Abbey called after him.  
  
"Be safe Danny." She paused while Danny smiled. He knew there was a reason he always liked this woman. "Your mother would kill me."  
  
Danny signaled a combination of thank you and goodbye with a figurative tipping of his hat to Abby. For a moment, he was gleeful.  
  
Danny turned his back and all Abby could see, with the sun hitting the dark marble floor, was Danny's shadow leaving her sight.


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter Three 

_Original Sin Elton John.  
  
Oh, it's carnival night  
  
And they're stringing the lights around you  
  
_Danny walked out of the White House past all the lights and cameras on the lawn. The media frenzy was a haze of lights and banter to him, spinning their half-truths, speculations, and using fear and falsities to entertain the masses.  
  
_Hanging paper angels  
  
Painting little devils on the roof_  
  
Once past the news vans Danny could only see traffic and hear static as he remembered what game he was in. Danny took to the road in his cobalt 1975 Buick Le Sabre Convertible. Faster than he knew, Danny was out of the traffic of the District and on the open road.  
  
_Oh the furnace wind  
  
Is a flickering of wings about your face  
  
In a cloud of incense  
__  
Yea, it smells like Heaven in this place_  
  
He tried not to think about CJ as he raced down the pavement roads kicking up dust in is path. He saw her face in the light, her smile, the sly grin she gave him, her harsh looks, and her determined attitude, laid out in font of him like his north star. It hurt to think of her, but it was his only direction. There was no north, no south, no west, and no east, only CJ.  
  
_I can't eat, can't sleep  
  
Still I hunger for you when you look at me  
  
That face, those eyes  
  
All the sinful pleasures deep inside_  
  
The wind blew through the open car, flapping two days of newspapers sitting along side Danny. The papers where held down only by the weight of his police scanner plugged into his never-used cigarette lighter. The sound worked with the wind like baseball cards in the spokes of a child's bike. The air felt good and the sun hit him hard, his eyes deep under cover of blinders both figurative and literal. His lenses only hid the deep ache in his eyes and body from lack of sleep and from worry.  
  
_Tell me how, you know now, the ways and means of getting in  
  
Underneath my skin,  
  
Oh you were always my original sin  
  
And tell me why, I shudder inside, every time we begin  
  
This dangerous game  
  
Oh you were always my original sin  
  
_Danny tried to remember the last time he saw her, the last thing he said to CJ. His mind, however, was coming up blank. All he could resurface were flashes of her, her voice, her movement, like he was held captive in the shutter of an old time camera or a giant collage of pictures.  
_  
__A dream will fly  
  
The moment that you open up your eyes  
  
A dream is just a riddle  
  
Ghosts from every corner of your life  
_  
Soon he knew he would have to pull over and sleep, maybe eat something even though he hadn't been hungry for food. For now Danny would ride as fast and as far as he could before he collapsed in his driver's seat. The road seemed to stretch to eternity in front of him. He felt so tiny as he slipped farther and farther away from Washington._  
  
__Up in the balcony  
  
All the Romeo's are bleeding for your hand  
  
Blowing theater kisses  
  
Reciting lines they don't understand  
  
_Danny took a map from his glove compartment and threw it on the dash, looking over a folded section for a moment before throwing the map to the floor in front of the passenger seat. He drove faster this time, gaining speed since he was alone on the dusty trail.  
_  
I can't eat, can't sleep  
  
Still I hunger for you when you look at me  
  
That face, those eyes  
  
All the sinful pleasures deep inside  
  
Tell me how, you know now, the ways and means of getting in  
  
Underneath my skin,  
  
Oh you were always my original sin  
  
And tell me why, I shudder inside, every time we begin  
  
This dangerous game  
  
Oh you were always my original sin_

_---  
  
_After what seemed like hours, Danny stopped. He let his car go from a hum to a purr and finally to a stop. He flipped open the flap over his driver's side seat, revealing a ripped out picture of CJ from his last article. He caught sight of it for a moment. It took his focus. He hadn't wanted that. After a moment Danny took his notebook from the bag, and hit the flap closed. He placed the notebook in his back pocket, knowing this was the most important case he would ever investigate, the most important story he would file.  
_  
Tell me how, you know now, the ways and means of getting in  
  
Underneath my skin,  
  
Oh you were always my original sin  
  
And tell me why, I shudder inside, every time we begin  
  
This dangerous game  
  
Oh you were always my original sin_

_-------_  
  
Jed stood alone not knowing what to do. He had no idea whether to go left or go right as he went over all the information he was given in his briefing about CJ. It was strange to be briefed about CJ when she used to be the one briefing.  
  
"Jed." Abby entered the Oval Office and shut the door.  
  
"Abbey. Glad we got that out of the way. Should we get name tags?"  
  
"What the hell are you doing?"  
  
"Running the country? How about you?"  
  
"Do you have any idea what's going on out there—."  
  
"Is there a parade?"  
  
"Don't be cute with me!"  
  
"I'm sorry?"  
  
"What the hell are you doing about CJ?"  
  
"Oh, not you too! I'm doing everything I can do. We're all doing everything we can do. But, as we both know, we can't stop the country because someone we love is missing. Plus this time we don't have a smoking a gun---no gun, no nothing. We don't have anything. No note, no evidence—."  
  
"Until Danny Concannon came along—."  
  
"That we have. See, we have something. Still it's not anything. Women disappear from their homes all the time---some objects--- some jewelry go missing---."  
  
"But, none of them are the Press Secretary and none of them our friends, Jed!"  
  
"You think I don't know that. You don't think this is hard? They sit around here telling me the statistics. I say that's not CJ. They say those are the numbers. I say CJ wouldn't just disappear. She wouldn't just walk away. They say, "Show me the evidence". They say, "show me the note", they say, "Show me the country or the person that wants something in return". I say. "I don't have any." And they say it's a normal missing person's investigation. That's all I can do, Abbey."  
  
"That's not all you can do Jed! You can leave this office! I know you. You think if you just stay in here and try to get things done it will go away. But have you even seen what's going on around here---Danny Concannon is beside himself---"  
  
"What does Danny have to with this—?"  
  
"---- Your staff is walking around like zombies. Wake up Jed. CJ is missing!"  
  
"I know!"  
  
"You have to get out here and stop leading the country for a nanosecond and lead your friends---."  
  
"So, this has nothing to do with the crappy job the FBI is doing with this thing—."  
  
"Yeah, but there are other things—."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"So you do agree the FBI is doing a crappy job—."  
  
"Yeah, but I couldn't do anything about that before so I sure as hell can't do anything now—."  
  
"Really? Because last I heard, or read somewhere, I think it was The Post, yeah, that was it---You're the leader of the free world."  
  
"Oh yeah."  
  
"They need someone to tell them it's ok, they're running around like chickens with their heads cut off. They need you. They need you to make them a cohesive group again. They're confused, lost. Danny Concannon is out there right now looking for her, for god's sake."  
  
"Why is he doing that? He's insane. He could get himself killed. "  
  
"That's the kind of things you do when you're in love."  
  
"Who, CJ?  
  
"No the Daili lama"  
  
"Love. Really?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Danny?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Wow. Does CJ?"  
  
"Well that's debatable."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"---I'd say no."  
  
"Wow."  
  
"And so now he's---"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Wow"

"Stop with the wow's, will ya? I think it's kind of romantic."  
  
"Why do I feel like I'm in a French film all of a sudden?" Jed took a breath. "So he's loved her for five years and just---  
  
"Bugged the hell out of her. Reminds me of someone I know. They looked at each other remembering their love and silly tactics in their early years.  
  
"You're right---I need to talk to them.—"  
  
"You need to talk to the country—"  
  
"But the FBI says---"  
  
"Screw the FBI, Jed. This is CJ."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Danny can't do this. Someone has to get him back."  
  
"There's no way. I saw him Jed. There's no reasoning with him." There was a moment as they leaned up against the Oval desk. Jed let out a breath.  
  
"She's like a daughter to me. You know that right?"  
  
"I know." She squeezed his hand.  
  
"Both of us."  
  
"Well." She paused unsure how to put it in the situation. "More like a sister to me." She smiled at Jed and took his face in her hand. "We'll get her back. Just like we got our other girl back." Jed nodded and embraced his wife, now geared up with the strength to fight.

----  
  
"Donna Moss is here to see you." Margaret spoke from the door. Leo nodded, "Yeah. Send her in." He looked up as Donna walked in.  
  
"Hey, Donna what does he want?" Leo took his glasses off.  
  
"It's not for Josh. Josh doesn't know I'm here." Donna looked timid and her eyes looked as if she had been crying.  
  
"Donna, are you all right?" Leo stood.  
  
"I'm fine. Well, I'm not fine, and I'm not good. So fine is probably the best answer. But I'm worried about Josh."  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I was hoping you could give him something to do. Anything. Send him to the hill, have him stuff –envelopes- something. He needs something to do—"  
  
"I know—"  
  
"He's going crazy. Josh always has to feel like he's helping, even if he's running around in circles with his head cut off-- at least he's not standing still."  
  
"Yeah." Leo paused. "I'll find something for him to do."  
  
"Thank you." Donna began to leave.  
  
"Donna?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"You ok?"  
  
"I have to be ok for Josh."  
  
"You don't have to be."  
  
"I do."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Donna walked out and Leo took a moment before walking into the Oval Office. Jed sat at his desk intently writing on a piece of paper.  
  
"Hey." Leo spoke as he approached.  
  
"Hey." Jed looked up as Leo walked to the chair at the side of his desk. "I see we have the carnival out on the south lawn."  
  
"They have the right to be there."  
  
"I also have the right to go punch out all their monitors and TV cameras, but I have decency, you know that?"  
  
"This I know."  
  
"What is this dynamic we have going here, lately?" Jed stood.  
  
"I'm keeping your spirits up. Making sure you still have your sense of humor through all this?"  
  
"My witty sidekick?"  
  
"I suppose." Leo grinned at his friend.  
  
"What are we, Burns and Allen?"  
  
Charlie walked into the Oval Office, "Mr. President."  
  
"Yeah, thanks Charlie." Jed looked at Leo. "I got to do this trade thing."  
  
"You're going to make a statement"  
  
"Yeah. This is when you tell me I'm making a mistake?  
  
"No."  
  
"Good."  
  
"You writing some remarks."  
  
"I'm writing something---Toby's working on it." Jed took a breath.  
  
"No news, huh?"  
  
"No."

----


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter Four 

Chapter Four  
  
WEDNESDAY 11:28, VIRGINIA  
  
An image of the goldfish pin sliced through his brain like a sharp pair of scissors. He had to keep going on, but his body didn't want to comply.   
  
---  
  
"Yeah." Josh answered his phone. Toby looked out from his office and looked on as Josh nodded his head. "Where are you?"  
  
"Virginia. I'm almost there. Any news?" Danny's voice could be heard while he drove.  
  
"No. Anything on your end?"  
  
"No."  
  
"Keep me posted."  
  
"Yeah, same to you."  
  
Josh hung up the phone and Toby gave him eyes. Without saying anything Toby slipped back into his office.  
---  
  
WEDNESDAY 5:25, NORTH CAROLINA  
  
Danny drove farther and farther away from Washington at a rapid speed  
He stopped at a few roadside motels and markets, flashing the sketches to anyone he could find. So far, he had no luck of any kind. Someone directed him to a bar where he might be able to shop around his pictures.  
  
He pulled into the little parking lot and noticed the name of the tavern. A rectangular sign hung above the door that read, Gail's Place. Danny let out a little laugh. Walking through the carved wooden door, Danny entered into the smoke filled room and sat down on a stool at the bar.  
  
"What can I do for ya, honey?" She spoke in southern tones. Danny took a look around, checking out his surroundings.  
  
"I'll have a bourbon." Danny had no intention of drinking, the way he felt, but in that crowd, without a drink in his hand he'd look pretty suspicious.  
  
"Bourbon." The woman smiled at Danny and as she was about to turn, Danny noticed her name tag said: Gail.   
  
Danny pulled out his notebook and the copies of the pictures from his back pocket. After a moment Gail set Danny's drink next to him.  
  
"Excuse me." Gail turned her head. "Gail right?" Danny took out his pen. He knew as a reporter the best way to inter yourself into people's life's was to call them by their first name. It was a trick that never failed him.  
  
"Yeah?" She leaned over at him twisting her body toward the bar.  
  
"I was hoping you could help me."  
  
"Sure."  
  
"I need you to take a look at these pictures----do you recognize these men?" Danny pulled the photos out of his notebook and placed them on the bar in front of Gail.  
  
"Who's asking? You a cop."  
  
"No, Just a friend-I'm a friend looking for a friend." She glared at Danny. "I'm not a cop. One goes by the name of Syd Calhoon-the other Terry Jordan. I just need to ask them a few questions-that's all."  
  
"I don't know any Calhoon and Jordan."  
  
"Okay-thank you." Danny didn't seem too thankful as he paid for his half-drunk drink and started to walk out.  
  
"But-they do look like-." Gail called after Danny.  
  
"Yes." Danny walked back to the bar. "They kind of look like Sharmaine's boys---."  
  
"Sharmaine?"  
  
"She has a cabin out on the Tennessee border-not too far from here?"----

------  
_Crack!_ Toby sat behind his desk and hit his baseball against the wall. Crack and a pause, crack and a pause, one wasn't sure if it was the sound or the movement that helped Toby think. He looked over what he had written another time before ripping it off its pad, crumpling it up, and throwing it toward his garbage wasteland. If he'd had a match, Toby would have set fire to to the pile. He looked at the blank paid, writing a few things, before collapsing back into his chair. He couldn't focus on the right points, or even find them. He went back to his ball throwing. He lobbed the ball three times, then four, and on the fifth return he stopped. An idea seemed to pop into his head. Toby stood, looked back at his desk still thinking, and walked to the door.  
  
"Ginger!" he yelled as he entered the communications bullpen.  
  
"Rina." The dark haired young thing, turned her head toward Toby.  
  
She was the only one around.  
  
"Yeah. I need some things."  
  
"Yeah." She picked up her pad.  
  
"I need statistics on how many women disappeared over the last four  
years as well as how many so far this year. And I need you to get me  
someone on the phone from Kidnapped and Exploited Children, social  
services and the National Organization for Women.  
  
"Ok, do you need this is any particular order?"  
  
"Yeah, as soon as humanly possible," Toby walked back into his office  
and shut the door.  
  
WASHINGTON, WEDNESDAY NIGHT  
  
"Yeah. Danny" Josh Lyman answered his phone. "What's the news?"  
  
"I'm on my way to North Carolina—"  
  
"What's in North Carolina?" Josh asked as he paced the hallway. In his car Danny adjusted the map next to him.  
  
"I got a women to ID the pictures. Says she knows their mother—"  
  
"They're brothers?"  
  
"Half—"  
  
"Hence the different names—."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Write down this name---" Josh put his hand up to Donna for something to write on. She gave him strange face.  
  
"Paper, paper—"Donna rushed through her desk and handed Josh a paper and a pen. Josh put the paper up against the glass wall to Donna's office. "Shoot"  
  
"Peter Wilson and David Marcus."  
  
"Ok. These are their real names?"  
  
"The names the FBI has are aliases. They're aliases, Josh. If theses are the guys they ain't never gonna find 'em." Danny was annoyed by the ineptness of the FBI's investigation.  
  
"Ok." Josh paused. "What do I do? I can't say where I got the names."  
  
"Hang on. It may be nothing. Let me check it out first. Just see if you can get me info on these guys. I'll call Maisy—have her do the same thing."  
  
"Ok. Check in with me again. Even if you don't know anything. Just check in with me."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"How ya doin' Danny?" Josh asked concerned that he was out there on his own.  
  
"As good as you I'm sure."  
  
"Ok."  
  
"I'll call you Josh."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
And Josh hung up. Donna looked at Josh, waiting for some sort of nugget of information to take the tension out of her entire body.  
  
"I need you to get records and information on these two names." He handed the paper with Donna. "Just don't bring up any suspicion."  
  
"And how am I supposed to do that—?"  
  
"I don't know. Tell 'em they're the new nominees for attorney general."

Josh walked away leaving a cross Donna.

--


	5. Chapter Five

Chapter five

THURSDAY 3:25 NORTH CAROLINA  
  
Danny decided to stop at a mini mart to pick up a snack to give him the energy to keep going. He pulled into the parking lot and parked his car on the side of the building. As he entered the store, his mind was mulling through everything he knew and everything he wished he knew. In the background, he faintly heard the sound of the chimes by the door meaning someone else had entered. Danny went about his shopping, making his way to the back aisle for goldfish crackers. As Danny picked up a box of the little orange fish, he heard a scuffle at the front of the store.  
  
"Just give me the money, hon, and don't do anything stupid" The girl at the counter looked to be in her mid-twenties and scared to death. Her freshly manicured fingers were shaking as she placed the money in the bag. Danny hadn't looked at the men yet, there were two of them and as soon as he raised his head to get a good look at them, Danny's stomach dropped. He didn't have the papers in front of him, but the faces were etched in his mind, he knew these were the guys; the guys who took CJ. The pounding of his heart was beginning to echo louder, he could have sworn the whole store could hear it. Danny took a step back to ensure he was hidden.  
  
"Ok, I got the money let's get out a here." The two men ran toward the door and their 1981 Toyota pickup truck. Danny threw down the items in his arms and ran out the door to his car. As he passed through the door he called back to the girl, call the cops and lock this door untill they get here.  
  
Danny threw open the door to his ca, started it, and floored the gas. He couldn't loose them, but he couldn't let them know he was following either. He pulled out of the parking lot barely missing another car pulling in. He grabbed his cell phone from the passenger seat to call Josh, but there was no signal. He threw the cell phone on the floorboard and pulled behind another car in traffic to hide his presence from the kidnappers.

How long would he have to follow behind these guys? Where did they have her hidden? Danny couldn't stop ideas like that from flowing through his head. He had been trailing these guys forever and he had no clue where he was anymore. The beautiful blue sky turned to a dark gray. He couldn't stop thinking about her, the way she would look at him sometimes. The feel of her lips on his the first time they kissed. Her hand smoothing his tie the last time they kissed. He was not going to lose her, not now. She had to know he would do anything for her, even put his life on the line to save her.

All of a sudden, the Toyota turned down a dirt road. Danny hung back a moment and then cautiously followed them into the woods. A half a mile later, the truck turned into a driveway that led up a large hill. Danny pulled his car to the side of the road two hundred yards back. He opened his door and pulled his binoculars out of the glove compartment. He saw the men stop at a cabin; he needed to get a closer look. Danny made his way to the top of the hill through a dense grouping of trees. He worked his way cautiously toward the cabin's one dusty window.  
  
Danny peered into the window. He felt like his heart stopped beating as he saw CJ tied to a chair. He wasn't quite sure it was her for a moment, her hair tattered and tangled in her face. Her body flinched as the men entered the small log cabin causing her face to move toward the window. He saw her eyes and he saw her fear. He wanted to grab her, take her in his arms. He wanted to save her, but he heard Toby's voice in head, "Don't do anything. You call Josh."  
  
CJ's hair fell out of the way of her face and suddenly her eyes widened. She saw Danny. Their eyes met, as she feared for not only Danny, but for her own life. Yet she still had a look of hope in her eyes. Danny could see it all. He tried to tell her it was all right with his eyes--that he was going to help her.

Danny could see someone was coming and he lowered himself under the window. He took a breath leaning himself up against the wall under the sill. Danny had found himself in some crazy situations, but James Bond he wasn't. Suddenly his inexperience and stupidly hit him. His next move had CJ's life depending on it. He didn't want to leave her, but Danny knew he had to leave her for a moment to call Josh. Danny ducked and walked out of view of the window, looking back one more time before running his hardest down the hill and down the gravel road. Once he hit his car at the end of the dirt road, Danny leaned on the car and took out his phone. "Come on, come on." He spoke softly for Josh to pick up.  
  
Josh put his hand on his hip feeling the vibration of his phone. Toby looked at him. Josh excused himself.  
  
Danny held the phone waiting, "Where are ya, Josh?" he said impatiently. Danny couldn't finish the thought , a hard object smacked him in the back of the head forcing Danny forward and his cell phone to the ground hitting the mud and leaves.

---

Josh walked out of the Mural room and opened his phone, looking at the display with a panic.  
  
Donna walked out of the room having seen Josh leave.  
  
"Is it Danny?"  
  
"Yeah?" He looked at the phone. "But he hung up."  
  
"Maybe he lost the connection."  
  
"Yeah." Josh shook off his strange feeling. "He'll call back." Josh went back into the meeting.

-----


	6. Chapter Six

Chapter Six 

Danny felt a hard numbness and ringing in his head and a stiffness in the back of his neck. He was still groggy, unsure what was happening or where he was. All he could sense was the cold wood floor beneath his cheek.

"CJ?" He spoke softly as he opened his eyes. "CJ?" He said in his groggy, raspy, voice. His eyes were still hazy as he opened and saw her figure attached to the chair. He moved his eyes up her legs as Danny had done many times, but never like this. CJ looked tired and weary. He saw her wrists and arms had rope burn from trying to get free. "That's a girl," he thought. She was fighting back. CJ saw Danny's eyes, he was awake, and CJ knew it.  
  
"He's a reporter!" he heard one of the men say.  
  
"How did he find us?" The other one said. Danny squinted his eyes. CJ moved her hands, which were still tied to the back of the chair, to show Danny they were loosening. Danny noticed his hands and feet where tied.  
  
"Can we untie her now?" The younger one asked.  
  
"No, not yet."  
  
"Can we take the gag off?"  
  
"And have her bite me again? Get the reporter." The other one said. Danny was brought to his feet as he was abruptly forced to a standing position.  
  
"How did you find us?" The older one asked as the boy held him. Danny didn't respond and he was kicked in the stomach. He took a breath and spoke up.  
  
"You fenced her pin."  
  
"I told you not to do that!" The one standing in front of Danny said to the boy holding him.  
  
"We needed the money. It was one thing."  
  
"Those guys IDed us?" He looked at Danny. Out of the corner of his eye Danny saw CJ's hands free from the ropes. He dropped to the ground and Danny saw how raw her wrists were. "Who else knows you're here?"  
  
"No one. I came alone." He was punched in the stomach again. Danny fell to the ground and the boy bent down, as did the older.  
  
"An editor, someone?"  
  
"No one." Danny caught his breath.  
  
"Pete, go into the shed and get the gasoline."  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Go get it."  
  
"I'm going." The boy ran away and out a back door.  
  
"Get up." Danny stood as slowly as he could,

Then out of nowhere, a chair came crashing down on the older boy. CJ had hit him in the head with the chair she had been sitting in.  
  
"Danny!"  
  
"Yeah." He looked at her waiting for a loving response.

"What the hell are you doing here!"  
  
"I'm here to save you!"  
  
"Yeah, I saw that. Good job there!"  
  
"Hey—"Danny heard a sound. "The other guy."  
  
"Pete." They stood still. "Running would maybe be a good idea."  
  
"Oh, yeah." They both took off, full force out the door and down the hill. CJ stopped for a moment. Danny caught this and ran back.  
  
"CJ?"  
  
"I'm just a little light headed."  
  
"Yeah, come on. My car is here. Just a little further."  
  
"Ok." She took a breath. Danny took her hand and they ran to the foot of the hill, but no car.  
  
"Where's your car?" CJ asked breathlessly.  
  
"They took my car!" CJ heard a shot behind her and saw Pete standing at the door in the distance.  
  
"My car!"  
  
"Ok, we're being shot at and speaking from extensive experience, that is not a good thing." CJ ran toward the road.  
  
"No, not the road. The woods. Into the woods. It's better to hide." He grabbed her hand and they took off into the wooded area. They ducked and weaved and Danny led CJ through the pines and trunks. It was all a blur for them both as they ran to get away from the sounds behind them. CJ ran for her life and Danny ran for CJ's.  
  
"I can't." CJ stopped for air.  
  
"CJ, you have to. Come on." Danny looked her in the eye and held both her hands.  
  
"I--." She took a breath. It was hard on CJ after her four-day ordeal. "I....."  
  
"Ok." Danny looked around and saw a marsh area. "Come on." He took CJ's hand and pulled them down into the marsh area. He slid between the wetness and the bushes. Danny put his arm around her and held her tight. "Put your head down." Danny covered her head with his own hand. CJ could hear footsteps in the crunching of the leaves. She prayed they'd be ok. She prayed everything would be ok.


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter Seven

Donna walked into Josh's office. She saw him sitting with his head in his hands. He wasn't at his desk anymore but in a small chair against the wall.  
  
"I got you something to eat?" Donna asked  
  
"No, thanks I already ate.  
  
"That was a bag of popcorn and a can of coke." She took the plastic container out of the bag and placed it on Josh's desk.

"I had them burn the hamburger. I actually went there myself and watched them do it."  
  
"I'll have it later."  
  
Donna paused before she spoke. "You know, it's ok to cry."  
  
"I'm not crying Donna."  
  
"I won't judge you."  
  
"Donna, I'm not—"  
  
"Ok." She began to walk out.  
  
"Any news from Danny?"  
  
"No. no. Nothing." Josh seemed worried as he approached Donna and the food.  
  
"Is Danny in love with CJ?" Josh looked at Donna, not sure what to say.  
  
"Yeah, I think so." He said sweetly.  
  
"Does she? Love him, I mean."  
  
"I can't speak for CJ but......." Josh took a moment. "Yeah." Josh thought of CJ and his eyes started to mist. He held it back, but Donna saw it. 

"Why is it men only become the real men we want them to be when things get dire."  
  
"'Cause real men step up to the plate?"

Donna smiled. "And real men get some sleep. Or read at least some memos. We have a country to run."  
  
"No news from Leo."  
  
"No." Donna watched as Josh took a bite of a pickle and then stared into space. "What?"

"I'm getting really worried about Danny. He was checking in every two hours. Now nothing. And the phone call before when he cut out."  
  
"Bad reception—" Donna was comforting him. "He hasn't called back yet?"  
  
"No—" Josh was deep in thought. "He hasn't checked in with me for about four hours." Josh thought for a moment. "Toby and I need to talk to Leo."

----  
  
CJ lifted her head. She seemed that it was later, but she was unsure what had happened.  
  
"Hey." Danny said softly as CJ rasied her head from his shoulder.  
  
"I?"  
  
"You feel asleep."  
  
"Pete?"  
  
"Hours ago. I didn't want to wake you."  
  
"We really should—"He breathing was off.

""It's best we waited in case he came back."  
  
"Oh." CJ looked distracted. "CJ?"  
  
"I—I can't breathe." CJ leaned on her knees.  
  
"Ok. CJ. Calm down." He sat up next to her.  
  
"I can't—I—I.." She began to hyperventilate. "I'm—"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'm—"  
  
"If only we had a paper bag-"he looked around. CJ continued her heavy breathing. 

"Just relax, you'll get over it."  
  
"I just—I just—"  
  
"Don't talk." Danny sat himself next to her and ran his hand over her back.  
"It's just all hitting you. Your body was in denial." He rubbed her back making her breath smooth and subside. "There ya go." CJ lifted her head and took a large breath.  
  
"You ok?" Danny looked at her lovingly with his concerned puppy dog face. She took a breath. "Yeah."  
  
"Good." He left his hand on her back for a moment while their eyes met. After a moment Danny removed his hand from CJ's back. CJ took another breath as her eyes began to tear. "You ready to keep going?" he asked gently.  
  
"In a minute."  
  
"Ok." He rubbed her back again. "Anytime you're ready." CJ took her hand to her face, trying to suppress her tears. She leaned forward and Danny continued rubbing her back. "Anytime you're ready."  
  
After a while, CJ sat up, and took Danny's eyes. Danny smirked, pretty sure they were sharing a moment. CJ covered her mouth with her hand. "I'm gonna be sick." CJ ran off.  
  
"Yeah." Danny lowered her head. After a moment CJ staggered back.  
  
"You ok?"  
  
"Yeah." Danny stood as he followed an unbalanced CJ, ready if she needed to be caught.  
  
"You ok to travel?"  
  
"Yeah?" She tried to pretend and as much as he could--Danny would humor her.  
  
"We can't travel long. Once it's dark we should stay still."  
  
"Sure." She took a breath and staggered to her left. 'How 'bout this way."  
  
"That would be back toward the kidnappers."  
  
"Yeah." He walked to her right. "This way right?"  
  
"Yeah." He followed CJ.  
After about an hour of walking, CJ slowed and then collapsed onto her knees.

"We can stop here." He fell to her level. "It's ok."  
  
"No, no we still have some light. I can walk." She stood, shakily. "We could find a house—a car—"  
  
"CJ. Stop pushing yourself. I just saved you from _kidnappers."_  
  
"I saved you!"  
  
"Ok, you just escaped from a life or death situation. You don't have to be Wonder Woman here."  
  
"Good. I was hoping I could be Cat Woman."  
  
"CJ."  
  
"Ok. Ok."  
  
"CJ . . . . They didn't do anything---?" Danny asked somewhat afraid to bring up the subject.  
  
"No, no. They just tied me to the chair—"Danny sat her down and he took her wrists.  
  
"What are you doing?" She asked as Danny ripped the sleeve off his shirt.  
  
"I'm bandaging your wrists CJ, they're really bad here."  
  
"Oww—."  
  
"Sorry, sorry." Danny took hold in a different place and ripped his sleeve in half.  
  
"I can do that." She said feeling strange about being waited on. Danny handed her one of the strips and let her tie one wrist. After it was secured he did the other.  
  
"We can start a small fire, but not for long. It could get us caught." CJ looked into Danny's eyes and smiled slyly.  
  
"What? Where you in the boy scouts—."  
  
"As a matter a fact I was---" CJ crackled with delight at Danny's remark.  
  
"Ok, not funny."  
  
"Sorry, sorry—"  
  
"I mean I'm bandaging your wounds here. I found us a dry place for to sleep—"  
  
"Oh my Captain, my Captain." CJ mocked Danny and laughed. Danny had a cross look on his face. "I'll find wood for the fire."  
  
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry." CJ took a breath. "Wow, I needed that."  
  
"I'm glad I could help." He looked CJ in the eye and she drowned in the deep blue pools. They shared a moment.  
  
"So, do you know where we are?" CJ pressed her fingers on her wrist, flattening the fabric down.  
  
"Truthfully?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"I don't know."  
  
"Great. So it's dark, were lost, and there may be a man with a gun out here looking for us—"  
  
'Did I mention bears—"  
  
"Danny stop. Don't scare me."  
  
"I didn't think anyone could do that." Danny had started a fire and sat next to CJ. CJ leaned forward into the warmth. She raised her hands and noticed how she was caked in mud.  
  
"You're covered in mud there."  
  
"Yeah." CJ took her shirt off to reveal her camisole underneath.  
  
"You'll be cold."  
  
"Better than being wet." 

Danny noticed a line of dried blood running down from her neck.  
  
"CJ?" He let two of his fingers check the back of her neck.  
  
"Oww."  
  
'What did they do to you?"  
  
"It's fine now." She lowered her head and looked up again. "They hit me in the back of the head with a tire iron." She said with brazen hatred. "I'm lucky I have a strong head." She laughed. "I tried to get to my door, I think I opened it?---I don't know.—"

"That's why the door was open?" Danny was coaxing, making sure not to rile her, but give her the support she needed. "And then I couldn't get up. I don't remember how I got there? I don't remember falling, I just remember being on the ground. I thought—I was sure I was dead. I was sure I was. I remember hearing noise in the apartment? I remember praying they would take what they wanted and leave." CJ remembered trying to raise her head and not being able to. I could feel the blood running down my back." She brought her hand to her shoulder like she was reliving it."  
  
"Do you know why they took you CJ?"  
  
"The young one, Pete, said he liked how I looked. They watched me on TV." She laughed at it. "They wanted me so they just took me. They took me like I was an item in a store. Just something to put on their shelf. Next thing I remember I woke up here." She paused, and looked off into the darkness.  
  
"How did you find me?  
  
"One of your _fans_ sold your goldfish pin. He must have thought it was real gold."  
  
"And the police found it."  
  
"I found it."  
  
"You found it? Where?"  
  
"I know some guys."  
  
"You know some guys?"  
  
"Yeah, Josh came along—"  
  
"Josh?"  
  
"You know that guy is obsessed with playing good cop/bad cop—" 

CJ laughed in recognition. "Yeah." Her hair fell in front of he face and without thinking, Danny pushed it out of the way and over ear. CJ smiled to show him she liked it. "We should put the fire out and go to sleep."  
  
"Ok." Danny looked awkward. "CJ, it's, um, it's going to get pretty cold—"  
  
"Yeah." She paused for a second and then inched closer to him.  
  
"You can use me as a pillow." He joked. CJ leaned toward Danny and Danny leaned forward to toss dirt over the fire. In the darkness, they moved closer to each other.. Their lips brushed and CJ lingered over the feeling. Danny ran his hand through her hair and to the back of her head to kiss her.  
  
"Oww." CJ pulled away.  
  
"Sorry, sorry." Danny moved his hands to her face, wanting to make it better. Their foreheads touched. "Let's get some sleep."  
  
"Ok." CJ said in a rasp of a voice. Danny helped her find his shoulder and they layback, wrapping themselves in each other. He kissed the top of her head and laid his head next to hers.


	8. Chapter Eight

Chapter Eight

WEDNESDAY 9:10, WASHINGTON  
  
The cameras clicked causing that all too familiar sound of foreboding in the air as Jed Bartlet spoke to the country.  
  
"Two hundred women a day are abducted from their homes. No word is heard, no notes, no sign of evidence, just the words of their family members: something is wrong. They are our sisters, and our daughters, the check-out lady at the super market, and they are our friends. We know these women, we work with these women and we know when something is wrong. Something is wrong. I am standing up for all the fathers and the friends. For all the brothers and the sisters of the women who have been lost--- who knew something was wrong. For all the people who know their friends---For all those who _know_ their friend wouldn't just walk away; 'my sister would not disappear with out a trace.' For every father who said, 'Something has happened to my daughter.' I know CJ Cregg. Everyone in this room knows CJ Cregg. The reporters, the assistants, the secretaries, the men and women who clean up at night--."He looked at Toby, Will, and Leo in the doorway. "And my staff. She is our boss, our co-worker and our friend." He took a pause. "And we all know: This is not CJ Cregg. CJ Cregg does not just walk away and Claudia Jean Cregg does not just disappear. I stand here and say: 'something is wrong.'" He paused. "I emplore you, and everyone out there, to help us find her and in turn keep an eye out for all the unnoticed women and men, and children, who don't have someone to say, 'This is not the person I know, the woman I know would not just disappear.' Go find her...."  
  
THE WOODS NORTH CAROLINA  
  
CJ was reliving it again. She walked out of her car and found herself on the pavement on the street in front of her apartment. It was three am and no one was around. Her instinct and adrenaline somehow gave her the strength to push herself up and hastily get to her apartment. She felt someone pull on her, but CJ somehow made it to her apartment door. She swayed in the doorway trying to find her keys. She somehow found them in as much of a hurry as she could. Suddenly, the earth became a roller coaster to CJ. She felt sick as she felt the ground was getting closer. Her door opened and CJ fell flat in the center of it. She could feel shadows walk above her as she slipped and slipped further and further away from the world. Next thing CJ knew she was in a dark room. A man took her hands and tightened the ropes thatwere already around them. CJ screamed and then her mouth was covered and her feet were bound and the shredding of her wrists began. She tried to bite one of the hands and got a wrist as her mouth cover was adjusted. CJ screamed silently inside her head as a gun was thrust in her face and her eyes ran with small tears.  
  
Back in the real world CJ's eyes shot open as she woke up screaming, but now she had Danny close. He felt her body move in the night and her voice let out the cry.  
  
"CJ. You're safe. CJ." He held her.  
  
"Help me. Help me,"  
  
"Shhh" Danny pulled her tight. "You're safe." He looked CJ in the eye. "It's alright. You're safe now." CJ nestled her face into Danny's chest taking hold of his shirt as she quietly cried herself back to sleep. This time Danny tried to stay awake, which was hard with the comfort of CJ's warmth next to him. He had to remind himself she was the one who needed the comforting.  
  
Toby sat at his desk in the darkness in his office. While Josh's reaction to the situation was to run around with the frenzy of a penny racer right before it died, Toby was the exact opposite. Toby held his baseball in his hand, passing it from his left to his right at random intervals. He would have thrown it against a wall, but throwing was for thinking, and Toby really didn't want to think too much. This wasn't a problem he could muss around in his head and put two and two together to find the right answer. Toby felt helpless.

There was something between CJ and Toby that was beyond friendship and beyond love. They had a higher relationship that, much like Toby himself, was a complicated enigma.

Toby looked up to find Andi, his redhead ex-wife and mother to his two children, standing in the doorway. He looked up, still playing back and forth with the ball, but stopping once he set his eyes completely on her. They said nothing as Andi walked over to Toby slowly.

"Hey." Andi said.

"Hey." Toby stood.  
  
Andi put out her arm and laid it on his left shoulder. Toby put his hand on hers and took a breath. They caught eyes and Andi gave Toby the hug he so desperately needed.  
  
"Wait." The President stopped his security detail on the way back to the Oval as he saw Carol crying in her outer office.  
  
"Carol?" he said, peaking his head in, aware he didn't know Carol as well as he knew say Donna or Margaret.  
  
"Mr. President." Carol stood snuffing in her tears.  
  
"No, please sit." The President used his hands to tell her to sit, but Carol stayed standing. "You're pretty close with CJ aren't you?"  
  
"Yes, sir."  
  
"Were you on the campaign with us?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"Ahh, I thought so. Otherwise we would have gotten to know each other." He paused.  
  
"You listened to my statement from here---." She held in a wave of tears.

"It's not CJ--"  
  
"You've been in here the whole time—?"  
  
"I have memos to---there's a lot of things to get done, Henry's not used to all of this. CJ was always the one---"  
  
"Yeah, that girl needed a night off—"Carol started to cry.

"I'm so sorry, sir." She said lifting up her head and wiping her tears away as more began to fall.  
  
"Hey, never say you're sorry for caring." He looked her in the eye. "Come on, you need to be with people." And Jed took her away from her office.  
  
Jed walked down the hallway and past Toby's office where he saw Andi and Toby talking on the couch.  
  
"Come on." Where all going to my office--Andi too."  
  
"Mr. President." Andi acknowledged Jed.  
  
"Thank you Mr. President....... I'd rather be alone." Toby spoke with his eyes off from view.  
  
"You're not alone now."  
  
"Well, as much as I can be."  
  
"Toby get up. You need to be with people."  
  
The president picked up people as he went creating a parade of those who loved CJ, into the oval office to be, comforted by each other.  
  
The flashlights hit the bushes and all the little corners and small spots around CJ's apartment. Dogs sniffed and sounds and lights were heard all around. The flashlight remained on the one bush, as the officer holding it felt his dog had discovered something.

"What ya got boy." The man asked his dog as he carried a rag in his month. The officer knelt down and took the blood stained rag in his hand.  
  
"Captain! I have something! "He yelled as he cover the rag with the light from his flashlight.  
  
Jed walked into the Oval Office and looked over the crowd. Abbey lifted her head off of Leo's shoulders where she had been resting. Jed saw the look of horror on his friend's face.  
  
"What is it, Leo." Jed stood. All eyes were on Leo as the blood looked like it had drained out of his face.  
  
"They found something."  
  
Josh walked with full speed out of his office  
  
"Call Toby, tell him to stay put. Tell him, I'm coming over."  
  
"He's in the Oval. There all in the Oval."  
  
"Oh." Josh looked around thinking. "Leo?"  
  
"They're all in there."  
  
"Ok, tell them I'm coming over—"  
  
"Josh—"Donna ran after him. "Is it safe for us to tell them what's been going on with Danny?."  
  
"I think we've gone past that point. Something's not right Donna."  
  
"Donna, you have a fax coming in!" An aide yelled.  
  
"Josh, just wait a second—." Donna walked briskly to her fax in her office.  
  
"I'll be over there—"Josh pushed her off as Donna looked at the fax coming in with the picture of the men she remembered from the copies she had taken for Danny.  
  
"Josh! Wait!"  
  
"Donna, I have to go!" He yelled.  
  
"No, no." Donna yelled holding the paper in her hands. "Look at this." She shoved the paper in Josh's hands as he read it quickly. He didn't need much time, his eyes fixated on the same words Donna had seen.  
  
"Oh, my god." Josh said softly to himself.


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter Nine  
  
Henry, CJ's Deputy, could be heard in the press conference relaying new information to the press.  
  
"The missing persons investigation of CJ Cregg has now been upgraded from missing to possible evidence of foul play—and due to the public nature of Ms. Cregg's job and appearance in the public eye a full-scale investigation is now being undertaken. I'll now take questions."  
  
All hands shot up and bulbs flashed. No one seemed to notice, the most visible of the White House Press corps was missing from the festivities. The gaggle was not only missing its ringleader, but it's tiger.

--  
  
"Mr. President." Josh entered the Oval Office in a ring of sweat, with Donna close in tow. He held the fax in his right hand.  
  
"Josh, are you all right?" Jed asked Josh from behind his desk. The room's contents, Carol, Abbey, Andi, Toby, Will, Charlie, Margaret, and Leo all focused on Josh.  
  
"I just heard—"  
  
"Yes, so did we."  
  
"---I think we have a problem."  
  
"And this would be a bigger problem than the other problems we already have?—"  
  
"Yes and no—"  
  
"Is this about CJ?" Leo asked.  
  
"Yeah." Josh took a breath. Toby stood up.  
  
"Josh—."Toby cautioned him.  
  
"We have to tell them Toby."  
  
"Tell us what?" Jed asked.  
  
"No, we don't. Not yet." Toby said through gritted teeth.  
  
"Danny's missing." Josh let out.  
  
"Danny's missing?" Abbey asked.  
  
"What makes you say that?" Carol asked with concern.  
  
"He's been checking in with me every few hours with updates and now nothing. He called me before and when I answered no one was there—"  
  
"When did you talk to him last?" Charlie asked, concerned himself.  
  
"And you're worried?" Jed asked.  
  
"Four hours ago at least---Yeah, I'm really worried. This isn't like Danny. "  
  
"I agree." Carol spoke unsure she should.  
  
"Why do I feel there is more to this story than I've heard yet?" Jed asked around. Toby looked at Josh. Jed looked at Toby.  
  
"Enough with the looks. What did you two do? Because I think someone did something."  
  
"Well, they may have started it, but we all helped." Will said trying to defend.  
  
"Nice, team playing there, Benedict Arnold." Toby said to Will.

Charlie stood and defended himself, "I deny anything. I was not involved in any thing- -I don't know none of these people." He sat back down.

Jed gave Charlie a look he usually saved for Debbie. "Spoken like a true innocent man." Jed looked back at Josh. "I'm still lost here." Jed asked.  
  
"You said it." Andi agreed.  
  
"As am I?" Leo chimed in  
  
"Now. What does Danny have to do with all this—?" Jed asked in authoritative tone.  
  
"Through a series of events Josh and Toby helped get Danny the FBI paperwork on CJ's case." Margaret chimed in.  
  
"You helped too!" Josh yelled at her.  
  
"I helped too—." Donna said flatly.  
  
"I'm sorry—!?"Jed still asked.  
  
Josh continued to barrel through, "I think the point is that Danny found out these guys—the ones FBI are looking for, are just aliases. They're never gonna fiund them, because they don't exist—!"  
  
"And being missing for the last four hours Danny would know this because—." Jed was livid and pretty sure he already knew the answer.  
  
"We gave him the sketches before you decided to release them to the public—"Josh answered.  
  
"There ya go." Jed lowered his head. He was proud of them, but still angry at what their actions could mean.  
  
"And how the hell did you get this information to Danny—?"Leo felt conflicted himself.  
  
"Josh handed them to him in the hallway." Abbey added in her Roz Russell like tones.  
  
"The links of this chain just keeps on getting longer." Jed spoke to himself.

"How did you know this?" Josh was in shock.  
  
"You hand off something to Danny Concannon looking like something out of the French Connection, in a public hallway, and no one's gonna notice." She paused. "I walked by."  
  
"It's anarchy around here!" Jed yelled. "—I swear to---Is there anyone in this room who is not involved in this one way or another." Jed looked around as only Andi raised her hand.  
  
"Andi—Wonderful. No one else. No? No one called Sam into all this---do I need to check with the rest of the staff, Casey in the kitchen, I mean the White House cat wasn't involved in all this somehow?"  
  
"Jed, we don't have a cat!?" Abbey yelled at him like he had gone insane.  
  
"I didn't mean it tha---It was a figurative cat" Jed yelled back at her. Abbey threw her hands up.  
  
"And the best kind to have around." Margaret spoke from the couch. Andi gave her a look.  
  
"Ok, people in this room need to stop talking unless I ask them to." Jed took a breath to think. "So how many laws have we broken this time?" Everyone was afraid to answer. "That's a question!? Someone answer it!"  
  
"I'd say give or take about twelve." Will chimed in.  
  
"Wonderful." Jed mused.  
  
"It doesn't matter how we got it, but these guys are dangerous—."Josh compelled them to listen to him.  
  
"And taking CJ didn't make them dangerous in the first place?" Jed asked sarcastically.  
  
"I had Donna run a background check on these guys' real names, for Danny, and it's not good." Josh gestured with the faxes in his hand.  
  
"Let me see." Leo took it.  
  
"One is Schizophrenic and the other one's been arrested three times for stalking and has two restraining orders in two different states. Two different states." Josh paused. "Even if they don't have CJ, last time I talked to Danny he was going after these guys---and my guess is they _do_ have CJ."  
  
"Leo." Jed looked at his friend with an all knowing look.  
  
"I'm on it." Leo looked up from the pages Josh had handed him and went for his office.  
  
"And Josh, I'd like to know one thing. How did you get background checks on these two men?" Jed looked at Josh who felt like he was back in his high school principle's office. Josh lowered his head and looked back up again.  
  
"I had Donna tell them they were your nominees for attorney general?"  
  
"You told the FBI that two known criminals were being considered for a national post. How much of that sentence is just a little bit scary?"  
  
"I think the fact that they didn't bat an eye is more of the real problem--- "  
  
"Well, one national screw-up at a time." Jed took a breath. "You two do know--I'm not mad at why you did it, just how and what you did?"  
  
"Yes, sir." Toby and Josh said with in moments of each other.  
  
"Hell, I'd do it-- if it wasn't for me a capital crime of some kind—"He looked over at Will. "Will?"  
  
"Don't know about the capital crime part sir, but coming from you I'm sure changes the gravity of the charges."  
  
"Yeah. Ok." Jed looked down and took a breath. "I'm sorry to do this, but everyone out. Go home get some rest." The room started to file out. "Clouseau you stay. And the Pink Panther too."  
  
"I think he means you guys." Andi said to Josh and Toby as she walked between them out the door. Once everyone was gone Jed started his lecture.  
  
"The two of you should really start a double act---Give Charlie McCarthy and Edgar Bergen a run for their money--- once vaudeville comes back into town."  
  
"Should I ask which one of us is the dummy here?" Toby asked really knowing the answer.  
  
"I think both of you are pretty much the proverbial blocks of wood—Now, how the hell did you get everyone into this little plot of yours?"  
  
"Well, sir, if we did indeed involve everyone, the plot wouldn't exactly be little then would it?"  
  
"You're really pushin' it here Toby."  
  
"Yes, sir." Toby spoke in his softest tones.  
  
"The more people you involve in something like this Toby, the worse it is. You should know that. You have to stay small." He took a breath. "And I'm guessing from the looks around here, and don't think I didn't see the looks—."  
  
"Yes, you mentioned that sir." Jed gave Toby a look. "I'm shutting up, sir."  
  
"Toby, I'm guessing you're the mastermind of this—semi large design?" Jed looked at Toby.  
  
"Well, yes if you're asking me if I'm the one who was petting the figurative cat here—yes, that would be me."  
  
"Ok." Jed paused. "I don't want know how you---how did you do this?!"  
  
"A series of ropes and pulleys—"Toby answered.  
  
"He can't learn can he?"Jed said to Josh  
  
"I think what Toby is trying to say is-- if we ever need a relay team for the Olympics I think we pretty much have our own team right here in the building." Josh tried to be funny, but no one laughed. Jed continued his vetting of the men in front of him.  
  
"I see. And I assume the coffee was also part of this whole ruse."  
  
"Yeah." Toby looked down and tapped his toe before looking up.  
  
"Why is this all beginning to sound like a foreign movie without the subtitles?"  
  
"'Cause it does." Toby spoke in plain tones.  
  
"Ok." Jed opened his valise and began to put his papers in it. "We don't tell anyone about this. As far as we know the FBI got hold of this information. Josh, you confused the lists and that's what you'll say."  
  
"Yes sir." Josh answered as the President closed his valise and took hold of it.  
  
"By the way, good job on the whole espionage, thing." Jed lifted the case, with a sly grin to tell Josh and Toby he approved, and walked away from his desk. "You two staying here tonight?" Jed unbuttoned his jacket.  
  
"Yeah?" Josh and Toby answered almost in perfect sync as if to say, "why? Of course."  
  
"Well, there's about a half dozen bedrooms up stairs in this building, so feel free to use one of them. It is a house after all. Just don't steel the towels--No one's sleeping on their couch, do you hear me?"  
  
"I don't have a couch?" Josh asked.  
  
"Ok, comments like that make me know you both have not been sleeping."  
  
"I'm just sayin' I'd like a couch." Josh defended his sleep blunder.  
  
"Get some rest." Jed walked toward the outer door. "And order everyone a couple hundred pizzas or something. You both look like hell. Eat something."  
  
"That's a lovely impression of your wife there, sir." Toby answered trying to hold in his grin.  
  
"That I'll actually laugh at." Jed paused with out laughing. Jed was sarcastic, but something caught him turning his face sweet before he continued his exit. "Why is it in this-- such dire circumstances, we all, here---seem to be able to keep our sense of humor."  
  
"A way to feel CJ's spirit around us while she's gone." Jed nodded his eyes in recognition at Toby and nodded an inch of his head. It was true.  
  
"Yeah." Jed said low and quiet.  
  
"They say humor has the ability to heal." Josh continued where Toby left off.  
  
"So does alcohol." Jed answered with a slight laugh in his throat.  
  
"Humor is the mask of wisdom." Toby spoke from his heart  
  
"Friedrich Durrenmatt." Jed seemed impressed as he looked at Toby continuing his quote.  
  
"It's CJ's favorite quote." Toby's face looked warm as he spoke.  
  
"I'm sure I'll be briefed in the morning. I want you two to be there."  
  
"Yes, sir." Josh said softly.  
  
"Yes, sir." Toby spoke even softer. Jed walked out of his office leaving a tired Josh and a disheveled Toby.


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter Ten

THURSDAY MORNING, 6AM  
  
"Yeah, Margaret thanks." Leo could be heard outside his office. "I'll just be in here for a while."  
  
Leo walked to his desk and stopped for a moment. He took a breath and made his way to his desk, throwing himself into his chair. Slowly and with much precision and with the holding in of as much emotion as he could he softly cried. Leo layed his hand from his forehead and his chin and covered the sound. After a moment he took a breath and rubbed his hand over his face to relieve it of its tears.

---  
  
"Yeah, Charlie?" The President asked him as he entered the Oval Office.  
  
"Mr. President, CJ's brother."  
  
"Which one?"  
  
"I think they're both on the phone, sir."  
  
"Yeah." Jed lowered his head and then looked at Toby. "I have to take this call-- I never thought I'd have a Cregg boy on the other end of that phone. Never in a million years."  
  
The aides in the Communications office watched the TV coverage of CJ's disappearance on CNN when all their attention was moved to Toby's office.  
  
The sound of a large crash, the sound of glass breaking hard, and mangled metal was heard through the communications bullpen. All the aides looked at each other as Bonnie, back to help out after her promotion to the DOD, walked with quick strides to Toby's office, opening the door without knocking, catching first the site of the broken television, crashed in and sparking for a moment.  
  
"Toby!" she yelled, still holding onto the doorknob. Toby stood, saying nothing, his baseball conspicuously missing from view.  
  
Josh lifted his head off of CJ's couch. He had meant just to sit for a moment but resting his head back had caused him to sleep. He saw the light just setting on another day and caught his eye on CJ's fish. Josh walked behind CJ's desk and took out a small can of fish food. He sat himself on the edge of the CJ's desk and ran the fish food through his fingers and into the bowl.  
  
"Hey?" Toby spoke by the door.  
  
"Hey."  
  
"What are you doing here?" Toby asked.  
  
"I'm feeding CJ's fish."  
  
"Oh."  
  
"Why are you here?"  
  
"I wanted to watch CNN." He paused.  
  
"What's wrong with yours—?"  
  
"It has a baseball in it." Toby walked onto the room and sat down.  
  
"Ahh."  
  
"Josh?"  
  
"Toby, that was a great statement you wrote—"  
  
"Yeah, thanks—"  
  
"If you hadn't done that---"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"---You got every women's group, every national committee for the missing and vanished—all of them rallying---you're the reason they up-ed the investigation—"  
  
"The reason they up-ed the investigation is because they found a dirty cloth with CJ'S BLOOD ON IT!"  
  
"Before that!"  
  
"Yeah, I knew what you meant." There was a silence.  
  
"We're doing all we can?"  
  
"Do you believe that?"  
  
"Do I believe it—no? Do I know it's true---yes." Toby nodded his head from side to side and ignored Josh.  
  
"How did you come up with that?"  
  
"With what?"  
  
"The concept for Bartlet's address."  
  
Toby took a pause and looked at Josh point black.  
  
"I asked myself." He paused. "What would CJ do?" Donna's voice could be heard through Carol's office. Donna looked flustered as she entered the office.  
  
"Donna, what's going on?" Josh spoke as he ran his palms together to lift the fish food from his hand. Donna eye bowled  
  
"There's news—"Donna grabbed a breath from having run around the building looking for Josh.  
  
"What news?" Toby perked up.  
  
"They found Danny's car—"Donna looked like a deer in headlights.  
  
"Where?" Toby stood.  
  
"They raided an old cabin in North Carolina. The car was hidden in an old barn." Donna paused before speaking again and by her face and body language Josh and Toby knew there was more.  
  
"What is it, Donna?"  
  
"They found blood." Donna's eyes welled. Josh and Toby perked up immediately, their stomach's curling with the news. "They're pretty sure it's----Danny and CJ's." Josh opened his mouth, and before Donna could let out her first tear, Toby and Josh had sped out of CJ's office. Josh wrapped his arm around the doorway as he passed it, trying to propel himself faster.


	11. Chapter Eleven

Chapter Eleven

THURSDAY MORNING 7:05 AM  
  
CJ and Danny, still lost somewhere between the Tennessee and North Carolina border, had no idea where they were as they continued walking. They had found some berries and half of a Powerbar in Danny's pocket, but they were still hungry and thirsty.  
  
"I work for this country and now I'm lost in it!" She looked at Danny who had stopped to watch her. "Any references to irony and I scratch your eyes out with an acorn."  
  
CJ almost tripped over a few twigs, but regained her balance without Danny noticing.  
  
"If we just continue walking west we're bound to hit something eventually-- "  
  
"How do we know we're going west?" CJ swatted away a fly.  
  
"Follow the sun."  
  
"I knew that." CJ said in her definite tone.  
  
"Why do you do that?" Danny stopped, tired and irritable and not in the mood for anything.  
  
"Do what?" CJ had no idea as she threw her hands up at him.  
  
"Say you know something after it's been made perfectly obvious you don't know."  
  
"I knew that---and no, I don't—." CJ defended herself.  
  
"Right now?" Danny was getting sarcastic, something CJ seemed to be able to bring out in him when he was tired.  
  
"I'm kidding when I do that?" CJ couldn't stop safe guarding her pride.  
  
"Why?" Danny continued walking ahead as CJ followed in pursuit of her truth.  
  
"'Cause that's what I do. I'm sarcastic! CJ. Cregg I don't believe we've met!" CJ let her arms go with the words in a gesture toward Danny who stopped and turned to her.  
  
"You know you're exasperating—you know that--?!"  
  
"Yes, I do know that!" She yelled in his face.  
  
"---Exasperating!"  
  
"Then why the hell did you come traipsing after me?"  
  
Danny stopped cold and looked at her. They caught eyes and CJ knew what she had done and knew they both knew the answer. Danny took a breath looking hurt by CJ's actions.  
  
"Well, if you don't know." He put his hands up. "I'm not gonna tell ya." Danny continued ahead. CJ stood still for a moment not knowing what do to. Her only response was to deflect him.  
  
Her divert and deflect mechanism quickly tried to get him off her scent.  
  
"You know, I don't like sports." CJ caught up to Danny trying to show him how he didn't need her.  
  
"I mean I like them---I like playing them. But I guess it's more about the fact that I want to learn everything. And I'm competitive---I like games--- I like puzzles---knowledge---I don't have to be good at it---ok, I have to be good at it—I have to be great at it, but even if I'm not I want to at least say I tried---you following me here?—."  
  
"Yeah." Danny looked her way for a moment before looking forward again. He pushed a branch out of his way.  
  
"I tend to be a klutz----going back to the sports question—."  
  
"I don't think I asked a question---you just brought it up." Danny really had no idea what she was doing. The truth was he was hungry and losing consciousness from lack of sleep.  
  
"Yeah, well back to my sports thing---."  
  
"And the fact that you're a klutz—." Danny did the re-cap.  
  
"Yeah, so I tend to be very." She took a breath. "Very, bad at sports and when I--- or anyone is bad at something—which if you tell anyone I admitted- --"  
  
"Yeah, I got it"  
  
"---You're a dead man."  
  
"Yeah, I figured that's what you were gonna say. I'm psychic that way---." Danny smiled at how her cockiness was so attractive to him. Danny noticed he couldn't feel his hand for a moment. He shook it off.  
  
"So anyway I'm bad at sports."  
  
"Yeah, you said that---." Danny smiled at her sweetly.  
  
He couldn't be mad at her for long, not when she was well, CJ. Plus he was beginning to see what she was doing. Trying to make herself seem undesirable. CJ had no idea that was something she could never do.  
  
"--Which makes my knowledge of them—sports--- pretty petite—unlike myself."  
  
"I'm ok with that."  
  
"I mean I can't play. I'd love to, but I'm just bad."  
  
"Ok." He looked at her and she looked at him.  
  
"I just am—Whoa!" CJ fell flat on her face in the dirt. Danny turned to see CJ lying on the ground with her face flat on the ground. Danny lifted his eyebrows at her.  
  
"You all right there, CJ?"  
  
"Yes." She said in a muffled tone.  
  
"Ok." He paused and took a step closer. "Is there a reason you're not moving, there?"  
  
"I'm embarrassed."   
  
"Do you need help?"  
  
"Yeah?" CJ lifted her head and Danny took her hands.  
  
"Don't be."  
  
"Don't be what?" CJ looked him in the eye as he took her hand.  
  
"Embarrassed." Danny smiled at her.  
  
"I should be used to it by now." She stood and wiped the dirt off her pants, which really by this point in their journey was fruitless. "It is after all the beauty that is me."  
  
"Do you think you have a perceptual problem of some kind?" They continued walking.  
  
"I wouldn't put it past me."  
  
They walked for a moment.  
  
"I could teach you how to play you know--."  
  
"Toby once tried to teach me to throw a basketball—"  
  
"---You got to pop it."  
  
"That's what he said?" She wondered if sports had its own language.  
  
"What happened?"  
  
"I popped it right through a window." CJ seemed pretty proud of her enviable nature. Being a klutz, one must have a sense of humor about it.  
  
"Oh, yeah Josh told me about that one." Danny laughed remembering the tale.  
  
"Josh wasn't even there?"  
  
"Word gets around." Danny shook his head and squinted his eyes. CJ didn't notice.  
  
"So, I'm sayin' I'm bad. You like sports? I'm bad."  
  
"I can teach you." Danny smiled and walked a few more paces ahead. He shook his head as he stumbled for a moment.  
  
CJ smiled and lowered her head for a minute. "What do you and Josh talk about in your emails?" CJ looked around as she issued her question, but couldn't find Danny.  
  
"Danny?" CJ saw Danny sitting on a large rock a few feet away. He was breathing a bit too much and rubbing his eyes. "Danny?"  
  
"Yeah?" Danny took a breath, feeling lightheaded. CJ walked over to him to take a better view.  
  
"When was the last time you slept?" CJ asked standing over him.  
  
"What? Yeah."  
  
"Since none of my questions required yeah as an answer--- I'd say a long time."  
  
"I'm—yeah. I'm ok. I just---huh? Yeah."  
  
"Danny didn't you get any sleep last night?" She knelt down and put her hands on his legs.  
  
"Sleep? No. A little? I think?"  
  
"Danny?"  
  
"One of us--- had to stay awake---"  
  
CJ took a breath, letting her shoulders drop.  
  
"You're right. Go to sleep?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"I'll stay awake."  
  
"I'm with ya—I'm with ya. What?" Danny lowered his head, trying to lift it but failing.  
  
"Danny, you can't even raise your head!"  
  
"Huh?" Danny slipped off the rock and CJ caught him.  
  
"Whoa." CJ took hold of him.  
  
"What?" He perked up. "I'm here I'm awake—"  
  
"No, you're not!"  
  
'---I heard everything you said—."  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"I couldn't sleep, I had to find you—" Danny shook his head. "Ahh—it's like I'm drunk."  
  
"Why do you do this to yourself?" CJ sat against the rock while Danny laid his head against it.  
  
"I can't sleep—"He yawned. "Until I've...finished something—" He let out a breath and squinted his eyes. "I'm determined."  
  
"I'll say." CJ turned to see Danny was falling asleep against the rock.  
  
"Makes a good reporter—" He mused like he was quoting someone slowly fading toward the final decline into dreams.  
  
"Makes a really stupid man." But Danny was already gone. "A really sweet man." CJ said softly.  
  
CJ looked around knowing she would need to keep an eye out. CJ looked over at Danny. He looked so tired. What he had done for her, she thought. CJ took a breath and lifted her knees up and wrapped her arms around them.


	12. Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

FRIDAY 6 AM. Washington DC.  
  
Josh had finally been persuaded to take a walk. His two friends were in danger and like usual Josh took the blame. He took in the cool morning air holding a cup of coffee, which –having gotten only three hours of sleep -- he needed. He told himself he wouldn't walk past CJ's apartment, but something compelled him. Why did CJ have to live so close to work? Josh walked up her street, at first not realizing what he was doing until he saw the small sign of yellow police tape. Josh stopped across the street, seeing a figure. He crossed the pretty much abandoned street, being 6am, sure he knew who the figure was.  
  
"Sam?" Josh said approaching his friend.  
  
"Yeah?" Sam turned his head, dazed and confused. "Hey Josh." He said with no feeling. He was numb.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"To tell you the truth I have no earthly idea."  
  
"You all right?"  
  
"No." It was an easy answer for Sam. Very clear, very not Josh.  
  
"Come back to my office." Josh motioned with his head in concern.  
  
"I don't know why I'm here 'cause I thought you could tell me why I'm here?"  
  
"Come on—take a walk back with me."  
  
"Ok."  
  
FRIDAY, TENNESSEE, 6:09 AM  
  
It was very early and Danny and CJ began the day again. Danny stepped on a twig and almost jumped six feet. CJ laughed.  
  
"This is why I'm not a war correspondent. I'm not good at being shot at. Politicians don't shoot at you."  
  
"Depends on which ones." She paused. "Now, those in the gun lobby—pretty sure they'd shoot at you."  
  
"I meant during an interview."  
  
"So do I."  
  
"I'm so against guns—"  
  
"Me too."  
  
"But right now if someone gave me a gun I'd be happy—"  
  
"If someone gave me a gun I'd throw it in a lake."  
  
"I don't even think I'd know how to use it."  
  
"I would."  
  
'You've shot a gun?"  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Really?"  
  
"Danny, you grew up in Michigan and you never fired a gun?"  
  
"No. You did in Ohio."  
  
"No. It was at a shooting gallery."  
  
"A shooting gallery, like at a fair."  
  
"No in FBI headquarters?"  
  
"A shooting Gallery." He laughed. "You mean a shooting range."  
  
"Oh, yeah. What did I say---yeah--I knew that."  
  
"There you go again."  
  
"Sorry." She paused. "But I really did know that."  
  
"Ok." He laughed.  
  
"Well, I did." She paused. "Yeah. Yeah. I'm stopping."  
  
"So, who took you shooting, your Agent?" Danny wasn't sure if he should have said that.  
  
"Yeah? How did you—"  
  
"Just a guess."  
  
"Oh." CJ got quiet.  
  
"I'm sorry about that."  
  
"Sorry?" She looked at him for a moment. "Oh, yeah. Well I hardly knew him."  
  
"He was protecting your life---."  
  
"Yeah." She looked down. "It was sad."  
  
"CJ." Danny stopped her. "It's ok. I know."  
  
"Know what?"  
  
"I know about the two of you?"  
  
"There wasn't anything between the two of us like there was with---"She pointed to herself and Danny. "The two of us."  
  
"But, there was something."  
  
"How...?" She paused. "Yeah." She confessed. "Yeah. But only one kiss."  
  
"Like us."  
  
"Somewhat."  
  
"You cared for him."  
  
"Yes." Her eyes began to tear. "How did you?" She paused. "I didn't tell anyone—"  
  
"I knew."  
  
"How?"  
  
"I saw you two in pictures. I saw the way you looked at him."  
  
"Oh." CJ gave him a smile and looked down before looking back up at Danny. She knew that he knew the look. Danny put his hands in his pockets and they continued walking.  
  
"Thanks, Donna." Sam said sweetly as he took a cup of coffee from her. Donna smiled. "It's good to see you, Donna."  
  
"You too, Sam." Donna walked toward the door, but Sam took her hand.  
  
"Don't leave."  
  
"I'll be right back. Don't worry." Sam watched her leave. Josh smiled.  
  
"You got the vote today?" Josh asked.  
  
"Yeah. I should be leaving soon." He paused. "It's good to be back." He stopped himself and looked down. Josh leaned on the edge of his desk. "Do you know anything new?"  
  
"No." Josh said with a large breath. He didn't know if or how he could tell Sam about the cabin.  
  
"You don't look like you're sleeping?"  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Yeah, me too." Sam paused and looked down before looking up again. "Have you talked to Danny recently?"  
  
"How do you know about Danny?"  
  
"It's in the paper?"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You didn't hear?"  
  
"What? Didn't hear what?"  
  
"It's in the paper—"  
  
"It can't be---Donna!"  
  
"His editor reported him missing." Sam tossed him the Post.  
  
Josh looked at the cover story, "Missing reporter and Press Secretary—are they linked?"  
  
"The one time I don't read the paper." He mused softly, having passed up reading the paper in trying to avoid CJ's face on all the covers.  
  
"Yeah, well it hasn't been its usual cheery self lately." Sam tried to muster up enthusiasm for his one liner but he failed.  
  
"Yeah." Josh knew it was true.  
  
"So what about this guy you said you had?"  
  
"Huh?"  
  
"A guy. You said you had a guy on it."  
  
"A guy?"  
  
"Yeah a guy?  
  
"Yeah—listen I told you I can't tell you--."  
  
"Josh—"Josh took a breath and felt he had to tell Sam something.  
  
"Sam, the guy was Danny!" Josh threw down the paper on his desk in anger. He got up and circled behind the desk, pacing.  
  
"Danny Concannon?"  
  
"Yeah. AHH!" Josh needed to let something out along with its appropriate hand gestures. He continued pacing.  
  
"--Was looking for CJ?"  
  
"Yes."  
  
"What like a story?"  
  
"No, he's looking for CJ—well, last I heard?  
  
"And now he's missing?"  
  
"Yeah." Josh felt guilty and wouldn't look at Sam. He still paced.  
  
"Why and how did he agree to that?"  
  
"'Are you kidding?!" Josh finally looked at Sam.  
  
"No, why would I be kidding."  
  
"Cause he's in love with her?!"  
  
"Danny's in love with CJ?"  
  
"Yeah? Where have you been?"  
  
"Well, obviously not in the same room as Danny and CJ." Sam paused, "Ok." He paused again. "So Danny's in love with CJ—?"  
  
"Yeah—" Josh felt like he had answered this enough.  
  
"And now he's out looking for her and they can't find him?"  
  
"Yeah." Josh circled the desk back to where he started and sat on the edge of it across from Sam.  
  
"Sounds like something out of Hemmingway---- or maybe just Danielle Steele?" Sam took a sip of his coffee.  
  
"Sam, there's more." Josh looked at his friend as if Sam was a puppy. Josh knew he had to tell him; he was just stalling, trying to find a way to tell him.  
  
Donna came in the room, having heard what Josh had said. She looked at Josh and Donna shut the door behind her.  
  
"What?" Sam said looking behind him at Donna as she shut the door. Sam looked terrified for he knew the look on his friend's face. Donna walked up to Sam and he took her hand on his shoulder in his. Donna laid her chin on Sam's head and Sam lowered his eyes.  
  
"I'm assuming this isn't good?" Sam said to his friend, trying to fake a smile. Josh gave him a "No" with his eyes. And they told Sam what they knew so far.


	13. Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Thirteen

TENNESSEE, FRIDAY 7:05  
  
"Water." Danny's eyes widened as they exited the clearing to see water.  
  
They had found themselves in a canyon; open and airy. It was one of the most glorious spaces CJ had ever seen; the white mountains and white rushing water. CJ ran to the water, walking briskly at first until her stride turned into a run. She reached the water, and knelt, cupping water in her hands. Danny knelt next to her and did the same, taking a drink, which felt strange on an empty stomach.  
  
CJ threw water from the river on her dirty and sweat-ridden face, and let out a sigh. It felt good.  
  
"We should clean your wounds." Danny took his other sleeve, ripping it and soaking it in the rivers edge. CJ flinched as Danny went toward her neck.  
  
"CJ!" He yelled but stopped the action. "They could get infected. Let me do this." He said sweetly.  
  
"Ok." CJ realized she needed to let herself be helped.  
  
CJ slowly pulled off her mud caked blouse letting it fall off her shoulders and lightly fall to her waist. It hung on her arms, revealing her bare neck and shoulders. She slowly lowered her head, causing her hair to part, Danny raised his hand and looked at the beauty of the shape of her arch and took a breath. He was awed by its form and hurt by the broken state it was in. In all circumstances, Danny was after all in love with the woman who sat wounded in front of him.  
  
Danny laid the wet cloth on the wound at the base of her head. CJ winced a tiny bit in reaction and Danny let up. He dabbed the areas he needed to cover-- the spot from her head to her neck. CJ moved her head to the left and lowered it as Danny squeezed out the remainder of the water on her shoulders. He took the cloth back to the river and repeated the process again.  
  
It was a surprisingly sensual moment as Danny tried to wipe everything away inside and out. CJ felt it and Danny knew it, but, as usual, they both tried to pretend it didn't exist. Danny ran the water over her shoulders smoothly cleaning the mud and grass off her back that had seeped through her shirt. CJ turned her head and looked Danny in the eyes and he looked in hers. Danny took her wrists lightly.  
  
"Dunk your wrists in," he said removing her bandages.  
  
CJ kept her gaze on him for a moment then looked away as she ran her wrists under the cool water, soothing the burning of her injuries. Danny reached in and took her wrists from the water and dried them with the other part of his ripped sleeve. CJ watched him as he carefully and with precision ran the cloth softly in and out of her rope burns. He took the now red, wet cloth and ran it one more time over her wrists. He held her wrists in his right hand, leaving her only for a moment to squish out the excess water before returning one more time. He dried the wounds again and laid her wrists on his knees as he re-bandaged them. For a moment after, the two of them kneeling in front of each other, they didn't move while they looked into each other's eyes.  
  
"Thank you." CJ said softly.  
  
"Anytime." Danny smiled. CJ smiled back, but her smile became a frown causing Danny to give her a bewildered look back.  
  
"Your head?" CJ said moving her hand to Danny's face as for the first time she noticed a patch of dried blood peaking out from his hair.  
  
"It's nothing." Danny spoke reaching for CJ's arm, holding his fingers there, feeling her cold and smooth skin. He caressed it with his fingertips.  
  
CJ took the wet cloth and ran it over Danny's cut. He winced at the first touch of the wet cloth.  
  
"Don't be such a baby." CJ remarked.  
  
"It's cold." Danny defended himself, but soon came under the trance of CJ's touches. CJ pulled away.  
  
"Thank you." Danny said to her sweetly.  
  
"Any time." CJ gave the same in return. "How's you head?" CJ extended her fingers around Danny's head and through his hair where he had been hit.  
  
"I'll live." Danny smirked at his choice of words. CJ didn't laugh as she spread her fingers through Danny's hair holding her hand in place. Danny never wanted to kiss CJ more in his life. CJ took a breath as they stared at each other. It was like they were the only ones in the large canyon, forgetting how small they were surrounded by the cavernous wilderness of mountains and water. The sun was beginning to set.  
  
Suddenly they heard a sound. Danny and CJ turned their heads. Danny saw it first and then CJ. It was the movement of a person, small and in the distance, at the edge of the wilderness. CJ's stomach closed as they saw the figures of one of the men who had taken her.  
  
"Dave." CJ spoke in fright. Danny grabbed CJ's hand and took off down the bay.  
  
"Where are we running?" she yelled. "We have no where to run."  
  
"Just be quiet." Danny told her.  
  
"Hey!" yelled Dave as he saw them. CJ heard gunfire, making it the fourth time in her lifetime she was shot at, but not the last time she would jump at the sound.  
  
Danny took her up the river and down another group of trees; all CJ could see were browns and greens. No dimension or space. They hit a clearing as CJ felt a branch stretch against her face and run through her hair. It made CJ thankful for her hour on the treadmill every morning.  
  
CJ could hear the rushing of water, louder than she had heard before, as they entered the clearing onto another river's edge. They ran over the rocks as Danny stopped for a moment, not believing their luck.  
  
"A boat." CJ said in surprise as Danny took a look behind them to see who was following. Danny and CJ ran to the small boat that resembled a small kayak or rowboat.  
  
"Get in." Danny told her.  
  
"We don't' even know where this thing goes," she said referring to the river.  
  
"We'll find out. Get in." CJ got in as Danny pushed it slightly into the water.  
  
"What are you doing?"  
  
"I have to set it out before—"  
  
"There's only one oar—"  
  
"It's fine."  
  
"I'm not good with water, Danny."  
  
"Do we have another choice!?" He let go of the boat as it hit the edge of the water. "I'll be here the whole time."  
  
"Stop right there!" A voice was heard. CJ's eyes lowered as she saw Dave's face holding a gun in their direction. Danny moved his body in front of CJ as he turned toward Dave, flushing his body against the boat. CJ stood.  
  
"Don't think just because my brother's in love with you doesn't mean I won't shoot you," Dave said to CJ as he motioned her with the gun to stay still. CJ crept back down in the boat.  
  
"Let her go." Danny tried to plead with him. "You can have me."  
  
"What do I want with you, reporter?" Dave stepped closer until he was close enough to Danny to touch him. "I should just shoot you. Shoot you both for all the trouble you've caused." CJ took a breath.  
  
"Just hear me out---" Danny still badgered the gun toting man.  
  
"Why do I need to hear you out?" Dave asked as Danny moved his hands forward and back with his pleading. He could feel the oar from the boat digging into his back.  
  
"'Cause I think there's one thing you're forgetting—"Before Dave could speak Danny took the oar, with a move no one saw coming, and flipped the gun out of Dave's hand, slamming him in the face. Dave fell to the ground, knocked out cold.  
  
"I can't find the gun." Danny yelled looking around.  
  
"Just get in!" CJ yelled. Danny threw her the oar and pushed the boat even further out of the water. CJ grabbed his arms as Danny climbed in.  
  
A shot was heard and Danny cried in pain.  
  
"Danny!" CJ yelled as he fell into the boat.  
  
"GO!" Danny yelled to her as the current took them. CJ saw the figure of Pete coming down the hill as she ducked down and tried her best to paddle. CJ ducked as she heard another bullet. Soon the boat began to drift rapidly with the current, away from the shore, and away from Pete.  
  
CJ stopped rowing as water careened past them, slapping the boat.  
  
"You can't stop rowing." Danny told her, slumped in the corner. CJ tried to continue rowing from side to side.  
  
"I can't." She seemed like she was about to really panic. "Danny!—"She looked back, concerned for his well being.  
  
"I'm fine. Paddle! Ahh." Danny took a breath. "Don't you wish you took me up on my offer to teach you to kayak?"  
  
"One shut up! It's not funny! Two, are you ok?" CJ looked at him. "And third shut up!"  
  
"How can I tell you how I am if you want me to shut up?"  
  
"I swear to god--- if I get out of this thing, I'm finding people to work with who think sarcasm is not the only way to answer a question."  
  
"Look who's talking."  
  
"That's it. I'm letting this thing ride the current." She dropped the ore and crawled to Danny's side.  
  
"Where did they get you?" CJ looked over his body as she noticed how pale Danny looked. This was more serious then she thought. CJ saw a blood seeping from Danny's shoulder. "Danny." Her eyes grew with tears at the sight of Danny's shoulder.  
  
"It's only a flesh wound." He said in a haze. CJ took off her blouse and ripped the shoulder like she'd seen Danny do.

"I'd help you with that, but I've been shot." Always trying to be funny.  
  
"Didn't I tell you to shut up?"  
  
"Ahh." Danny took a breath in with the pain. "Ok." He knew he had to do what she said now. He could feel himself losing blood fast. CJ moved Danny's shirt out of the way to reveal his bloodstained shoulder. CJ knew she had to breathe and get through this. They rushed down the river still. CJ took her sleeve and wrapped it around Danny's shoulder like a tourniquet.  
  
"And here I thought you were stripping for me." Danny was in a low-blood haze, almost as if he was drunk. "Ahhhhhh!" Danny yelled as CJ tightened the last pull to secure it.  
  
"I'm sorry." She cried. Tears falling off her nose hit Danny's chest. The sun was starting to set, fast.  
  
"CJ, you have to paddle." He screamed with still enough of his full voice.  
  
"I can't—I don't know how?."  
  
"CJ, look at me." She looked at Danny. "You have to do this. One of us has to paddle, and it's not gonna be me. Ok? I'll be with you—I'll be here. I'll tell you what to do." He gave CJ a push with his hand on her shoulder. She took his hand, mixing his blood with her sweat. "I'll be here. Just listen to my voice."  
  
CJ sucked in her tears and took the oar.  
  
"Ok, CJ, now dip just the end in the water, push the water back and twist your body to repeat on the other side." The endearing way he spoke made CJ want to cry, but she held it in and did what Danny said.  
  
"Danny, I can't."  
  
"CJ, listen to me, don't rush. Just skim the top of the water with the end of the paddle, like you are pushing it out of the way. Twist your whole upper body, use those beautiful arms CJ, think of it as your workout for the day."  
  
"Okay..okay! Wait...do you think I need to work out?" She tried to laugh through her tears.  
  
"Of course not, but I know how much you love to use your workout as personal time."  
  
"Yeah, well this is a little different Danny."  
  
"Ok, then don't just paddle. In the water and push, lift and the other side. In, push lift and other side." Danny took his hands and placed them on her waste. CJ jumped at the touch, but Danny didn't move, he had to get her to paddle them out of there. He slowly moved her torso back and forth to show her the movements. Danny had to stop because it hurt to move, but she was getting it.  
  
"Okay, okay" CJ felt the loss of his hands and shivered a little. She wanted so bad to just hold him, but she had to get them away from those madmen.  
  
"That's it, CJ! Watch out for the swells of water; just hold the oar up when you hit a swell. If you don't you'll lose the oar in the water." Danny encouraged her. "You got it." The boat jumped up a current causing Danny to fall back against the boat. It hurt like hell, the pain from the bullet hurt like hell, and he tried for a moment not to pass out from it.  
  
The water rushed even more as CJ's stomach rose and fell not only with the current, but also with the rise and fall of Danny's body. His agony pained her.  
  
"CJ! Watch out!" Danny yelled to her. They hit a bump and CJ was set off her course. She could feel her grip loosen on the oar, but it was too late, as it fell overboard.  
  
"NO!" CJ screamed. "No, no. No. No. No." CJ reached out into the darkness, hoping she could grab it.  
  
"What happened?" Danny yelled form the back.  
  
"I lost the oar." She cried. "It---  
  
'You—"  
  
"It fell overboard--" She lifted her head. "No. No!"  
  
"CJ, it's ok. Don't worry." Danny's voice was low and hushed.  
  
CJ crawled toward Danny. A bump in the water sent CJ next to Danny with a thud.  
  
"You ok?" Danny asked.  
  
"Yeah." She raised her head, catching Danny's eyes. Danny saw her worry as she saw how bad he looked. Danny was yellow and his eyes seemed off somewhere for a moment. "Danny?"  
  
"We've passed the bad stuff---we can drift till someone finds us."  
  
"What if no one--." She stopped herself. "Yeah."  
  
"You're humoring me now."  
  
The boat tossed, pushing CJ into Danny. He winced.  
  
"You don't look good." CJ tried to hold back her tears.  
  
"I thought you were humoring me?"  
  
"You want me to?"  
  
Danny paused for a moment. "No."  
  
Danny leaned in and kissed CJ on the lips. It sent shivers through CJ's entire body.  
  
"Why did you do that?"  
  
"Cause it could be the last time I'll be able to do that--."  
  
"Don't say that—"CJ stopped her sentence as Danny sent his hand over CJ's head smoothing down her hair and then sending it around her ear.  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
CJ's eyes filled with tears again and she bit her lower lip holding in her emotion. CJ leaned her head to the left of Danny's and he continued stroking her hair. Once CJ had placed her head softly on Danny's chest he leaned in and kissed her on the head. The boat drifted. 


	14. Chapter Fourteen

Chapter fourteen

WASHINGTON, FRIDAY 7:59  
  
"Where's Henry?" Leo asked, looking around the room at Toby slumped in the corner with Josh slumped in a chair to his right. Margaret walked into the room and handed Leo a note and then tried to offer Toby and Josh a muffin or Danish, for she knew they weren't eating. They each passed up the offer.  
  
"Gaggle." Toby said rubbing his hand over his forehead.  
  
"Oh yeah." Leo said looking at the note. "Margaret, stay and take notes." He stopped her before she had exited. She responded by taking a small notebook and pen from her pocket.  
  
"I can tell' um." Josh said in the middle of a yawn.  
  
"Well, since you can't even stay awake I'll have Margaret take notes."  
  
"Don't worry, Josh I can write fifty words a minute."  
  
"Margaret." Leo gave a scolding toward Margaret.  
  
"Sorry." Margaret knew what that meant.  
  
Leo looked over at Josh who was now asleep in his chair.  
  
"Josh, wake up!" Leo yelled.  
  
"Josh." Toby pushed his arm to rouse him. Josh jumped up in his chair, realizing he had been asleep. He rubbed his face and took a large breath in from his nose. Leo gave Josh one of his disapproving looks. Margaret looked at Toby and Toby looked at Leo as Toby rested on his hand.  
  
"I guess you didn't get sleep like I told you?" Leo scolded Josh.  
  
"Huh?" Josh was still not fully awake.  
  
"Never mind." Leo got up and walked around.  
  
"What's going on?" Josh asked. "Hey, Margaret---? Did I miss something?"  
  
"Did you miss something?" Leo's lack of sleep as well was wearing on his nerves, doubling his sarcasm.  
  
"Margaret's taking notes." Toby said dryly still leaning on his face.  
  
"What did I miss?" Josh said groggily.  
  
"Well... Leo said, "Wake up Josh! And then you said something inaudible—"  
  
"Margaret, I don't think we need the recap." Leo demanded putting his hand on his forehead.  
  
"OK." Margaret paused. "Just here if you need me." Leo closed his mouth and looked at Margaret.

"Thanks." Leo gave her a fake grin. If it weren't for the fact that she was so amazing at her job, she would have been gone years ago. No one was as great an assistant as Margaret.  
  
"Josh, how's it going with the computer program?" Leo circled his desk. "Oh for crying out—."Leo turned to see Josh asleep again. "Wake him up!"  
  
"JOSH!" Toby yelled.  
  
"I'm here, I'm here!" Josh straightened up in his chair.  
  
"Ok, this has got to stop." Leo demanded.  
  
"I think maybe we've all been under a lot of stress—" Toby stood.  
  
"Yes, we have." Leo felt it had to be handled.  
  
"And since we do have a break from what I'm sure is much more important—"Toby interjected sarcastically.  
  
"No, Toby---"Leo had had it with Toby.  
  
"Why aren't we talking about this!?" Toby yelled. "We've stopped talkin'—"  
  
"Because we need to talk about computers and getting enough votes for the farm lands bill, not to mention figuring who the hell leaked the name of the CIA agent in Brussels—"  
  
"Things need to be done!" Toby was in full force.  
  
"And things need to be done here! Toby, don't push me! You've been pushing me all week."  
  
"Well, you should be pushing them." Toby paused to collect his thoughts.  
  
"You don't think I have!? You don't think?"  
  
"I—" Toby lowered his voice and turned around before facing Leo again.  
  
"You can't know me well and not think I'm not doin' my best here, Toby!" Leo yelled back.  
  
"I know you have---"Toby spoke quickly.  
  
"And we have to run this country, Toby!"  
  
"I know." Toby fell into the chair behind him looking as exhausted as Josh.  
  
Leo looked at Josh, as he rubbed his eyes, and at Toby as he leaned back in his chair and tried to keep his eyes open. "You know this thing could take a long time. It could take days, it could take months—it could take—I'm not even gonna say that—We have to continue running this country which means someone's got to get some sleep around here and someone's got to eat a damn bagel. And as much as I'd love it if you all could take the 25th on this one—" Toby tried to speak, but Leo was one step in front of him. "I'm warning you Toby---you want me to make you a dissident of the state because I will if I have---it'll take a lot paperwork—but you know, right now I'd wait in line at the DMV if it meant getting you off my back."  
  
"Why don't you just do that?" Margaret spoke up.  
  
"Wait in line at the DMV?" Leo snapped at her. Josh opened his eyes.  
  
"No, make these guys--- who know where CJ is---dissidents of the state? Then you can send out the National Guard--the whole enchilada—find them—find CJ and Danny."  
  
Leo's eyes widen and the room looked like gold had been found in them there hills. Josh even woke up fully.

"Margaret, I could kiss you!" Leo said with glee.  
  
"I'm sorry?" Margaret was scared.  
  
"Kiss you, Margaret I could kiss you." Leo smiled from ear to ear.  
  
"As tempting as that is Leo, I really think we need to keep our relationship on a professional level." She said with dryly.

"You're funny." Leo grinned to Margaret. "You're funny. You know that?" He turned to Josh. "Josh get on that."  
  
"Yeah." Josh left the office, followed by Toby, Leo and Margaret close in tow.  
  
"You're saying I'm funny? You never say I'm funny? You don't laugh at my jokes?" Margaret turned to Toby. "He never laughs at my jokes—"  
  
"Not only are you funny, you're intelligent and great at your job." Leo took a happy breath.  
  
"Oh now, you're scaring the crap out of me—" Margaret had that look.  
  
"He's saying you're right!" Toby yelled at her as they passed into her office.  
  
"I am?"  
  
"Yes!" Toby yelled.  
  
"Be back here when you're done!" Leo yelled at Josh as he and Toby ran off.  
  
Margaret smiled. Leo walked back into his office.  
  
"Margaret!" Leo yelled and she followed him back in. 


	15. Chapter Fifteen

Chapter Fifteen

TENNESSEE, 9:56 PM  
  
It was dark and Danny was no longer coherent to help her, causing CJ to run ashore with the boat. She had no idea where she was or how close any kind of civilization was. She took her blood soaked hands and pulled the boat half way onto to the land in case it drifted off without her, sending Danny down stream. CJ brushed the tears from her eyes as she entered the boat for Danny.  
  
"Danny!" She yelled.  
  
"I'm awake. I'm—"Danny wasn't looking good. CJ took his arm over her shoulder and helped him out of the boat. They walked a few steps, CJ holding most of his weight, when Danny fell to the grass and dirt below.  
  
"Danny!" CJ yelled, falling to her knees. "Get up! You have to---"Danny didn't say anything. He muttered something incoherent as CJ pulled his body onto her knees holding him close. She felt the surrealness of the moment and the last three days. She felt like her life had suddenly turned into the pages of a gaslight melodrama. Would she have another man she cares about die? Would Danny really die right there in her arms?  
  
"Nooooo!" CJ cried out, her tears flowing. You can't do this! Not like this!" She yelled out to the heavens. "Danny!" She shook him.  
  
"CJ." He whispered.  
  
"You have to stay awake. Danny!?"  
  
"CJ." He whispered.  
  
"Come on." She lowered her head and prayed, not knowing what to do next.  
  
"Your hair looks great, you know that." He said with a smile, as it was obvious Danny was in another moment in time and not on the beach with CJ.  
  
CJ lifted her head as she heard the sound of a helicopter. It was loud, it was deafening, it was piercing to the ears, but it was the sweetest sound CJ had ever heard. The searchlight ran past her as it flew overhead. She took her hand to her forehead and just when she wasn't sure if she'd have to get it's attention the helicopter flew closer in blowing her hair and shining the light in her face. CJ and Danny had been found.  
  
CJ watched as the helicopter landed and a man jumped out and walked toward her. Only a shadow as he approached, CJ brought her hand to her forehead to force out the searchlight and see the man approach.  
  
"Are you CJ Cregg!?" He yelled over the noise of the blades.  
  
"Yes!?" CJ said wearily and bewildered as the wind from the copter blew her hair in her face.  
  
"Staff Gunnery Sergeant Allen Wade United States National Guard ma'am! Are you all right!?  
  
"Yes?" CJ moved her hair out of her face. She wasn't sure if she was more shocked that she and Danny had been found, or who had found her.  
  
"Are you hurt in anyway?!"  
  
"No!." She yelled sincerely. "He's been shot!"  
  
"Don't move him. I'm going to go radio the medi-copter. I'll be right back."  
  
"Ok?" CJ took a breath as the man walked back to the helicopter and returned her gaze to Danny. "Danny!?" She shook him. "Danny did you hear that—come on. Danny!"  
  
"CJ?" He said in the softest voice she had ever heard, but he started to fade again.  
  
"Danny, come on—I need you to stay awake---we're almost there—come on—Danny look at me—look at me Danny." She got his eyes and he didn't look good. "Come on you have to stay awake. For me. Stay awake for me." She took a breath. "Come one, talk my ear off—you're good at that--"CJ was wracking her brain for something to keep Danny talking. "Danny? Danny?"  
  
"Yeah." Danny tried to listen to her voice as he spoke so softly he wasn't sure if he could even hear himself.  
  
CJ looked up at Sergeant Wade as he hovered over her. "They're on their way Ma'am. Where is he hit.?  
  
"The shoulder." She yelled through tears. "He's fading—He's lost a lot of blood."

"Keep him talking—"  
  
"About what?!"  
  
"Anything." He looked up and saw the chopper. "I'll be right back. Keep him talking, anything--lists...just keep him talking."  
  
"Danny?" She shook him. "Listen to my voice."  
  
"CJ." He was faint.  
  
"You got to stay awake—"  
  
"I have to get back to Washington—" He spoke in sleepy tones. "I have the link—the link is the pilot—I have to get back to Washington---"  
  
"Come on Danny---"She tried to think "Name me all the Senators in Congress. Name them—come on-- I know you---you have that annoying dictionary of a brain—come on show me up---"  
  
"Descending order?" Danny spoke, but CJ could hear him fading. Danny nestled his head into CJ.  
  
"Yes---no resting---"She shook him. "Descending order---" CJ said gruffly.  
  
"Avery, Bangart, Breech, Carrick----"  
  
"Come on Danny!?" She begged him as he slowly repeated a name. "You're almost there," she said as the Sergeant walked toward her and Danny took a moment of rest. CJ could hear the second helicopter approaching. "They're coming. Danny?" She spoke as he continued the list. "Just a little more." 


	16. Chapter Sixteen

Chapter Sixteen

WASHINGTON MONDAY  
  
Cleaned up, five days later, CJ packed the rest of her belongings from her not-short-enough stay at the hospital. Dressed in non-work clothes for a change, a print dress, and a sweater, she stuffed the remainder of her things into her blue duffel bag..  
  
"CJ?" Josh knocked on her door.  
  
"Hey, Josh."  
  
"You look good?"  
  
"Thanks, you're pretty snazzy yourself." She snapped her fingers at him.  
  
"You know what I mean?"  
  
"Yeah, I do." CJ smiled and zipped her bag closed.  
  
"Your brother went back to the hotel to get some things, he'll be back to pick you up."  
  
"Which brother?"  
  
"I don't know? Oh, but your other brother took Hogan back to the dorm."  
  
"Would that be Hogan's father?"  
  
"Yes? —Yes."  
  
"There ya go." CJ looked around. "I think I have everything." Josh walked to her as she stood by the bed.  
  
"I bet you're glad to get out of here---well, not as glad as you were to get out of that cabin—I mean—I'm sorry—"  
  
"Josh, its ok." CJ looked Josh in the eye and knew he was about to cry. "It's ok."  
  
"You don't know how amazing it is to see you standing here, CJ."

CJ smiled sweetly. "You really are sweet sometimes. You know that."  
  
"Yeah." He smiled. "CJ?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Have you seen Danny?"  
  
"Yeah, I saw him when he got out of surgery—but he was a little groggy—he told me I looked like a plate of scrambled eggs."  
  
"Yeah, I think he told me he wanted to back big bird for the democratic nominee in two years—"  
  
"I'd vote for 'um." CJ took hold of her bag.  
  
"No. I'll take it. Let me." Josh took the bag and slung it over his shoulder.  
  
"What do you have, bricks in this thing?"  
  
"Yes, Josh I do in fact have bricks in there. While I was in here, I had an on going affair with a bricklayer. Not much money, but man the perks." She smiled slyly.  
  
"CJ, have you talked to Danny?"  
  
"He's awake?"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"Then no I haven't—"  
  
"Don't you think---"  
  
"I should thank him—yeah—"  
  
"CJ."  
  
"I'll do it later---"  
  
"CJ"  
  
"What was he doing out there anyway? It was stupid and I'm gonna tell him so. He almost got himself killed. What? Over a story?"  
  
"CJ? It wasn't about a story. He's---"  
  
"My friend, I know, I know. But it was stupid."  
  
"No, CJ, he's in love with you. That's why he did it—"  
  
"What?"  
  
"—I can't believe you don't see it".  
  
"Danny----he doesn't love me."  
  
"Of course he does CJ. How can you be so blind? The man risked life and limb to go out into the unknown to find you. He couldn't sleep. He wouldn't eat, and I tried to make him. While all of us sat here powerless, breaking televisions, and feeding your damn fish---- which you owe me for by the way----he was out there risking his life for you. Wake up, Claudia Jean, the man doesn't just have a crush on you! He loves you. He's in love with you. And at some point you're going to have to deal with it."  
  
CJ took a beat and digested what Josh had told her as Josh calmed himself down, not believing what he had just done. CJ sat on the bed and Josh gave her his back.  
  
"He couldn't sleep?"  
  
Josh turned around and looked at her, "Yeah?" Josh spoke as if to say, "Why would I lie?" Josh walked over to CJ and sat down next to her on the bed.  
  
"CJ, you need to talk to him—"  
  
"I can't. Not about this." CJ looked down.  
  
"He sat in my office and told me there were only two things he was sure of in this world and that was, "five column inches above the fold....and you." CJ lifted her head as Josh said the word, "you". "I know Danny and I've never seen him put anything before his job. I've never seen him so determined." CJ said nothing. "No matter what or how you feel about this, CJ. Ya got to talk to him. You owe that to him."  
  
"Yeah."  
  
"I'll take this down for you."  
  
Josh walked out of the room.


	17. Chapter Seventeen

Chapter seventeen 

CJ walked to Danny's room, but stopped. She was really afraid. For the first time in her ordeal, she was really afraid. She took a step and slowly walked into Danny's room. She found Danny doing just about the same thing CJ had been doing earlier, packing. Danny took the newspaper off his bed and set it in his duffle bag. CJ watched as Danny, having his right hand encumbered by a sling, zipped closed his bag. He then set the bag on the ground next to bed as delicately as he could with one arm; that's when he saw CJ.  
  
"Hey." She said awkwardly.  
  
"Hey." Danny said sweetly.  
  
"I hear they're letting you out today?"

"Yeah? You too?"  
  
"It's funny how dehydration and gunshot recovery is so similar."  
  
"Don't forget the stitches?"  
  
"You or me?"  
  
"--I think when I was out I told Josh I wanted to get Fozzie bear made the vice presidential nominee for the democratic party?"  
  
"I'll look into it. Who's his agent? I meant Fozzie bear--not Josh. But I'm sure if Josh honed his act I could at least get him booked at Snickers in the Bay area—"She paused. "Danny." CJ said lovingly as she approached him. "Thank---thank you—"  
  
"Thank me for what? Almost getting you killed—"  
  
"You saved me—"  
  
"I didn't save you, CJ. Staff Gunnery Sergeant Wade saved you. I got hit on the back of the head, and shot in the shoulder; I didn't save you—"  
  
"You tried—"  
  
"Yeah, I did."  
  
"Danny." She took hold of his face. "Just take the thank you."  
  
"Thank you." Danny took hold of her hand and looked into CJ's eyes. CJ felt like she was about to cry.  
  
"Danny?" She couldn't say it. "Did you tell Josh?"  
  
"Did I tell Josh what?" Danny walked away from the bed to face her.  
  
"That I was one of the only things you were sure of?"CJ leaned back on the bed. Danny faced CJ and his face gave him away before his words.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"Danny—"  
  
"I know I know." He lowered his head. "I'm sorry—no one..." He shook it off. "I'm not sorry. I'm not sorry that I love you and I'm not sorry that I went into that woods after you—and yeah, I mangled it up big time, but I got to be there for you and that meant something to me—I've never felt this way about anyone, CJ and it makes my reasoning for things stray from the beaten path at times---and I can't make it go away and I can't make you admit you love me—Maybe, I am sorry. Sorry I can't hide my feelings as well as you." Danny looked at CJ sitting on the bed as the golden light of sundown beat on her golden face and hair. "I'm sorry. I'll leave."  
  
"Danny, no." Danny stopped. He looked her in the eye and walked over to CJ taking her by the back of the head, gently, and kissing her soft and slow, a signature Danny kiss, letting go of her lower lip last.  
  
"Don't tell me you don't feel anything." CJ backed up on the bed and sat herself crossed legged. "CJ. What are you thinking? Tell me?" Danny leaned on the bed in front of her and lifted her bandaged wrist to make her reveal her face to him. "CJ?" CJ lifted her face and Danny saw she was crying.  
  
"When I held you in my arms and you were bleeding--- I thought I was going to lose you. All---"She was about to burst. "All—All I kept thinking was how much I messed up. It wasn't supposed to be this way—this hard. I was supposed to be able to have a great job and be myself and have a life and have a man and be in love—life isn't perfect and it didn't have to be perfect—it just had to be---and then you had to come into my life. The first man who had yes written all over him--- after so many men had ended up having no written on the back of their heads. And it shouldn't matter—I don't need a man---I don't have to have one—"  
  
"CJ?"  
  
"But I love you. Life isn't perfect. People get shot and kidnapped and bills don't get passed and you don't have enough votes in the House---and you had to come into my life and mess it up—"  
  
"CJ!"  
  
"I'm not done!"  
  
"You know all those times when people need me to interrupt what you say—"  
  
"Yeah?"  
  
"This is one of them. You don't have to keep talkin'." He wrapped his arms around her shoulders.  
  
"I do—I need to say this---." She took a breath. "When I was holding you in my arms, and you were bleeding and---" CJ couldn't say it. "It was the single scariest moment of my life—and I've been shot at four times, almost been in air force one when it might have careened into the runway, kidnapped, stalked, and I work for the US Government." She took a breath. "My god, I sound like a Lifetime movie of the week." Danny leaned in and kissed CJ.  
  
"What was that for?"  
  
"For being you?" CJ looked at Danny with a sudden realization that made her want to cry again.  
  
"You get me, don't you?"  
  
"It's a scary thought, but yes."  
  
"Why is everything so hard, Danny?"  
  
"I don't know. It's more fun."  
  
"Kiss me."  
  
"Ok." Danny leaned in and kissed CJ. She dug into the kiss feeling warm and safe. "Now, say it."  
  
"Danny!?"  
  
"I've waited long enough. Say it."  
  
"I love you, too, Danny."  
  
"Ahh, there it is." Danny took her face in his hands and kissed her. CJ leaned into Danny's forehead.  
  
"Don't die, ok?"  
  
"Sure." He pulled her back so they could lie on the bed. Danny placed his hand on CJ's head as she maneuvered herself into his good shoulder. They looked like two pieces of a puzzle, finally finding the shape that fit into each other. CJ's head barely touched his beard as she looked off, content. Danny had eyes only for her.

_End Music:_  
  
_And you've got the look of love right in your eyes  
  
And I was in a crazy motion till you calmed me down  
  
It took a little time but you calmed me down.  
  
Some people never says the words " I love you ",  
  
It's not their style to be so bold.  
  
Some people never says " I love you ",  
  
But like a child they're longing to be told._

Josh walked down the hall toward Danny's room, looking for CJ. When he reached the door, he noticed them. Danny lay in the hospital bed with a smile on his face. CJ had climbed on the bed with him. Her hand rested on his chest and her head on his good shoulder. Her leg was placed over his and she was fast asleep. Danny's head was tilted on top of hers and his arm was around her waste. His other arm lay on her shoulder and he too was fast asleep. Josh slowly backed away with a huge smile on his face. He turned, slowly throwing back his elbow, and a clenched fist, in a gesture of "YES!"

Song:

_They've got a wall in China, it's a thousand miles long_

_To keep out the foreigners they made it strong.  
  
And I've got a wall around me that you can't even see  
  
It took a little time to get next to me. When something goes wrong, I'm the first to admit it,  
  
The first to admit it but the last one to know  
  
When something goes right, well it's likely to loose me,  
  
It's apt to confuse me because it's such an unusual sight,  
  
Oh I can't get next to something so right, to something so right.  
  
Some people never says the words " I love you ",  
  
It's not their style to be so bold.  
  
Some people never says " I love you ",  
  
But like a child they're longing to be told.  
  
_They've got a wall in China  
_  
Mmm... Yeah... Yeah...  
  
And I've got a wall around me._

**-----Great Wall of China**

Danny and CJ clung to each other as the golden light hit them and the sun began to set.


End file.
